A team of engineers and robotics experts at the University of Hong Kong has designed a flying robot capable of navigating unknown environments safely at high speeds while avoiding obstacles.
In their research paper published in Science Robotics, the group describes how they overcame the challenges faced by others attempting to build similar robots and how their quadcopter robot, named SUPER, performed during testing.
According to the website Techxplore, robotics experts have been working for years to create a flying robot that can operate like birds, moving safely at high speeds while adapting to unforeseen conditions, such as encountering gusts of wind, power lines, tree branches, or other obstacles that suddenly appear in their path.
Most of these flying robots have relied on different types of sensors and cameras, which had to process vast amounts of video data, slowing down the speeds at which they could operate. In this new effort, the researchers in Hong Kong claim they have finally overcome these challenges.
The team revealed that the key to their success was using 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology for obstacle detection, rather than traditional cameras and sensors. This technology allows the robot to provide real-time feedback from distances of up to 70 meters in all directions.
They explain that the LiDAR data is fed into an onboard computer, which uses the information to provide a continuous dual-path strategy for plotting the robot's flight path in real-time. One path offers the safest route, while the other is more exploratory. The computer program moves between the two paths to provide the optimal route.
Testing showed that the robot could safely fly through an obstacle-filled path at speeds of 20 meters per second.
The research team also found that the robot could track a target, such as a human, while navigating through a forest, successfully avoiding trees, branches, and other obstacles. Since it relies on LiDAR, it can also operate in low-light conditions.
The team points out that SUPER is a significant advancement in autonomous aerial robotics technology, which could be used in search-and-rescue applications. However, its most logical applications might be in law enforcement and military reconnaissance.
