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This video features a flight test conducted in our robotics lab, showcasing a custom-built thermal camera drone. We've enhanced a DJI Avata with a specialized thermal camera system. With its compact dimensions measuring 18 x 18 x 17 cm, this drone is designed to navigate and provide critical thermal information within post-fire or post-explosion environments. For more insights, be sure to check out our previous videos on this channel.
In the realm of digital situational awareness during disaster situations, accurate digital representations,
like 3D models, play an indispensable role. To ensure the
safety of rescue teams, robotic platforms are often deployed
to generate these models. In this paper, we introduce an
innovative approach that synergizes the capabilities of compact Unmaned Arial Vehicles (UAVs), smaller than 30 cm, equipped with 360° cameras and the advances of Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs). A NeRF, a specialized neural network, can deduce a 3D representation of any scene using 2D images and then synthesize it from various angles upon request. This method is especially tailored for urban environments which have experienced significant destruction, where the structural integrity of buildings is compromised to the point of barring entry—commonly observed post-earthquakes and after severe fires. We have tested our approach through recent post-fire scenario, underlining the efficacy of NeRFs even in challenging outdoor environments characterized by water, snow, varying light conditions, and reflective surfaces.
360° and IR- Camera Drone Flight Test: Superimposition of two data sources for Post-Fire Inspection
(2023)
This video highlights a recent flight test carried out in our cutting-edge robotics lab, unveiling the capabilities of our meticulously crafted thermal and 360° camera drone! We've ingeniously upgraded a DJI Avata with a bespoke thermal and 360° camera system. Compact yet powerful, measuring just 18 x 18 x 17 cm, this drone is strategically engineered to effortlessly navigate and deliver crucial thermal and 360° insights concurrently in post-fire or post-explosion environments.
The integration of a specialized thermal and 360° camera system enables the simultaneous capture of both data sources during a single flight. This groundbreaking approach not only reduces inspection time by half but also facilitates the seamless superimposition of thermal and 360° videos for comprehensive analysis and interpretation.
At the integration sprint of the E-DRZ consortium in march 2023 we improve the information captured by the human spotter (of the fire brigade) by extending him through a 360° drone i.e. the DJI Avata with an Insta360 on top of it. The UAV needs 3 minutes to capture the outdoor scenario and the hall from inside and outside. The hall ist about 70 x 20 meters. When the drone is landed we have all information in 360° degree at 5.7k as you can see it in the video. Furthermore it is a perfect documentation of the deployment scenario. In the next video we will show how to spatial localize the 360° video and how to generate a 3D point cloud from it.
Problem: A group of robots, called a swarm, is placed in an unknown environment and is supposed to explore it independently. The goal of the exploration is the creation of a common map.
Implementation
- Equipping six Kobuki robots with appropriate sensor technology, a large battery, a router and the Jetson board
- Setup of the Jetson-Boards with self-made ROS2 nodes and the set up mesh network
- Writing of launch files for the common start of all functions
- Reinforcement learning is used to train an AI that controls the swarm by selecting points for the robots to approach and navigating to them and navigating them there.
- Setting up a responsive website using Angular and the Bootstrap
Framework.
At the integration sprint of the E-DRZ consortium in march 2023 we improve the information captured by the human spotter (of the fire brigade) by extending him through a 360° drone. The UAV needs 3 minutes to capture the outdoor scenario and the hall from inside and outside. The hall ist about 70 x 20 meters. When the drone is landed we have all information in 360° degree at 5.7k as you can see it in the video. Furthermore it is a perfect documentation of the deployment scenario. In the next video we will show how to spatial localize the 360° video and how to generate a 3D point cloud from it.