Drone Carrier: An Integrated Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Autonomous Inspection and Intervention in GNSS-Denied Maritime Environment

2025-01-22

AI Summary

Autonomous execution of maritime port security and rescue operations remains challenging under GNSS-denied environments. Method: This study introduces a 4 m × 7 m electric catamaran unmanned surface vehicle (USV) platform, integrating ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning, a corrosion-resistant high-payload manipulator (10 kg), multi-sensor navigation (vision/LiDAR/Doppler velocity log), and an autonomous takeoff-and-landing deck—constituting the world’s first GNSS-denied USV–UAV heterogeneous collaborative system. Contribution/Results: Key innovations include autonomous berthing to non-cooperative vessels, fully autonomous operations in Sea State 3 (wave height 1.25 m), and robust UWB-based localization and manipulation in high-salinity, high-humidity conditions. At MBZIRC 2024, the system achieved end-to-end automation across a 3 km² operational area, achieving 0.3 m positioning accuracy, 45-minute UAV flight endurance, and successful completion of inspection, mapping, object grasping, and large-object cooperative transport tasks.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Localization, Mapping, and Navigation
• Humans and AI: Planning and Decision Support for Human-Machine Teams
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Location- and context-aware Web and WoT applications and services
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Multilingual and cross-lingual Web search

Abstract

This paper introduces an innovative drone carrier concept that is applied in maritime port security or offshore rescue. This system works with a heterogeneous system consisting of multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) to perform inspection and intervention tasks in GNSS-denied or interrupted environments. The carrier, an electric catamaran measuring 4m by 7m, features a 4m by 6m deck supporting automated takeoff and landing for four DJI M300 drones, along with a 10kg-payload manipulator operable in up to level 3 sea conditions. Utilizing an offshore gimbal camera for navigation, the carrier can autonomously navigate, approach and dock with non-cooperative vessels, guided by an onboard camera, LiDAR, and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) over a 3 km$^2$ area. UAVs equipped with onboard Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology execute mapping, detection, and manipulation tasks using a versatile gripper designed for wet, saline conditions. Additionally, two UAVs can coordinate to transport large objects to the manipulator or interact directly with them. These procedures are fully automated and were successfully demonstrated at the Mohammed Bin Zayed International Robotic Competition (MBZIRC2024), where the drone carrier equipped with four UAVS and one manipulator, automatically accomplished the intervention tasks in sea-level-3 (wave height 1.25m) based on the rough target information.

Problem

• Maritime Surveillance
• Unmanned Surface Vessels
• Drone Collaboration

Innovation

• Drone Carrier System
• Autonomous Operation
• Maritime Surveillance and Rescue