We present a multi-robot system for GPS-denied search and rescue under the forest canopy. Forests are particularly challenging environments for collaborative exploration and mapping, in large part due to the existence of severe perceptual aliasing which hinders reliable loop closure detection for mutual localization and map fusion. Our proposed system features unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that perform onboard sensing, estimation, and planning. When communication is available, each UAV transmits compressed tree-based submaps to a central ground station for collaborative simultaneous localization and mapping (CSLAM). To overcome high measurement noise and perceptual aliasing, we use the local configuration of a group of trees as a distinctive feature for robust loop closure detection. Furthermore, we propose a novel procedure based on cycle consistent multiway matching to recover from incorrect pairwise data associations. The returned global data association is guaranteed to be cycle consistent, and is shown to improve both precision and recall compared to the input pairwise associations. The proposed multi-UAV system is validated both in simulation and during real-world collaborative exploration missions at NASA Langley Research Center.
Object-Oriented Semantic Mapping for Reliable UAVs Navigation
University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University Hanoi（越南国立大学河内工程技术大学）；Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology（日本北陆先端科学技术大学院大学）
Extended Abstract Version: CNN-based Human Detection System for UAVs in Search and Rescue
Vel Tech - Technical University（Vel Tech 技术大学）
提出了一种基于卷积神经网络和四轴飞行器硬件平台的人体搜索和检测方法。预训练的CNN模型应用于Raspberry Pi B，并且在Quadcopter的底部配备了单个摄像头。四轴飞行器采用加速度计-陀螺仪传感器和超声波传感器进行平衡控制。然而，这些传感器容易受到由诸如电动机的振动等驱动力引起的噪声的影响，因此，实施噪声处理。实验证明，该系统在Raspberry Pi B上运行良好，处理速度达到3 fps。
RISCuer: A Reliable Multi-UAV Search and Rescue Testbed
King Abdullah University of Science & Technology（阿卜杜拉国王科技大学）；University of Maryland（马里兰大学）；Polytechnique Montreal（蒙特利尔理工学院）；Australian College of Kuwait（科威特澳大利亚学院）
Deployment of Aerial Robots during the Flood Disaster in Erftstadt / Blessem in July 2021
University of Applied Science Gelsenkirchen（盖尔森基兴应用科学大学）；German Rescue Robotic Centre（德国救援机器人中心）；Institute of Fire Service & Rescue Technology, Fire Department of Dortmund（多特蒙德消防局消防与救援技术研究所）
Optimizing Search and Rescue UAV Connectivity in Challenging Terrain through Multi Q-Learning
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds（利兹大学电子与电气工程学院）；College of Electronics Engineering, Ninevah University（尼尼微大学电子工程学院）
UAV-UGV Cooperative Trajectory Optimization and Task Allocation for Medical Rescue Tasks in Post-Disaster Environments
State Key Laboratory of Multimodal Artificial Intelligence Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences（多模态人工智能系统国家重点实验室，自动化研究所，中国科学院）；Vanke School of Public Health, Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University（万科公共卫生学院，中国健康研究院，清华大学）；School of Automation, Beijing Institute of Technology（自动化学院，北京理工大学）；School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University（土木工程学院，清华大学）
S3M: Semantic Segmentation Sparse Mapping for UAVs with RGB-D Camera
University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University Hanoi（越南国立大学河内工程技术大学）；Hanoi University of Industry（河内工业大学）；Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology（日本北陆先端科学技术大学院大学）
Task Assignment and Exploration Optimization for Low Altitude UAV Rescue via Generative AI Enhanced Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning
Guangxi University Key Laboratory of Intelligent Networking and Scenario System (School of Information and Communication, Guilin University of Electronic Technology(GUET))（广西智能网络与场景系统重点实验室（信息与通信学院，桂林电子科技大学））；College of Computing and Data Science, Nanyang Technological University（南洋理工大学计算机与数据科学学院）；School of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, GUET（建筑与交通运输工程学院，GUET）；National Engineering Laboratory for Comprehensive Transportation Big Data Application Technology (Guangxi)（综合交通运输大数据应用技术国家工程实验室（广西））；Department of Informatics and Communication Engineering, Xiamen University（信息与通信工程系，厦门大学）；College of Computer Science and Technology, Jilin University（计算机科学与技术学院，吉林大学）；Key Laboratory of Symbolic Computation and Knowledge Engineering of Ministry of Education, Jilin University（教育部符号计算与知识工程重点实验室，吉林大学）
Field evaluation and optimization of a lightweight autonomous lidar-based UAV system based on a rigorous experimental setup in boreal forest environments
Finnish Geospatial Research Institute in National Land Survey of Finland（芬兰地理研究 institute 在芬兰国家土地测绘局）
Enhancing UAV Search under Occlusion using Next Best View Planning
Swarm Exploration Group, Department of Communication Systems, Institute for Communications and Navigation, German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR)（德国航空航天中心（德意志航天中心））
Multi-Depot Multi-Trip Vehicle Routing with Total Completion Time Minimization
Università di Roma La Sapienza（罗马第一大学）；Missouri University of Science and Technology（密苏里科技大学）；University of Klagenfurt（克拉根福大学）；University of Eastern Piedmont（东皮埃蒙特大学）
Cooperative Multi-UAV Coverage Mission Planning Platform for Remote Sensing Applications
Democritus University of Thrace（色雷斯德谟克利特大学）；Information Technologies Institute, The Centre for Research & Technology, Hellas（希腊研究与技术中心信息技术研究所）；National Technical University（国立技术大学）
Human-Centric Aware UAV Trajectory Planning in Search and Rescue Missions Employing Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning with AHP and Similarity-Based Experience Replay
Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT), University of Luxembourg（卢森堡大学安全、可靠性与信任跨学科中心）；University of Luxembourg（卢森堡大学）
