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In this paper, we present a method for detecting objects of interest, including cars, humans, and fire, in aerial images captured by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) usually during vegetation fires. To achieve this, we use artificial neural networks and create a dataset for supervised learning. We accomplish the assisted labeling of the dataset through the implementation of an object detection pipeline that combines classic image processing techniques with pretrained neural networks. In addition, we develop a data augmentation pipeline to augment the dataset with utomatically labeled images. Finally, we evaluate the performance of different neural networks.
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.
The video shows a very high resolution 3D point cloud !!! of the outdoor area of the German Rescue Robotics Center. For the recording, a 25-second POI flight was performed with a Mavic 3. From the 4K video footage captured during this flight, 77 images were cropped and localized within 4 minutes using colmap and processed using Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF). The nerfacto model of Nerfstudio was trained on an Nvidia RTX 4090 for 8 minutes. In summary, a top 3D model is available to task forces after about 13 minutes. The calculation is performed locally on site by the RobLW of the DRZ. The video shown here shows a free camera path rendered at 60 hz (Full HD).
Nerf(acto) for the 3D modeling of the Computer Science building of Westfälische Hochschule GE
(2023)
The video shows a very high resolution 3D point cloud !!! of the computer science building of the University of Applied Science Gelsenkirchen. For the recording a 3 minute flight with a M30T was performed. The 105 images taken by the wide-angle camera during this flight were localized within 3 minutes using colmap and processed using Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF). The nerfacto model of Nerfstudio was trained on an Nvidia RTX 4090 for 8 minutes. Thus, a top 3D model is available after about 15 minutes.
The video shown here shows a free camera path rendered at 60 hz (Full HD).
From the 360° images of the former video (
• German rescue robotic center captured... ) we now generate the 3D point cloud. The UAV needs 3 minutes to capture the outdoor scenario and the hall from inside and outside. The 3D point cloud generation is 5x slower than the video. It uses a VSLAM algorithm to localize the k-frames (green) and with 3 k-frames it use a 360° PatchMatch algorithm implemented at a NVIDIA graphic card (CUDA) to calculated the dense point clouds.The hall ist about 70 x 20 meters.
The video shows the first test of a small spherical UAV (35 cm) with 4 rotors for missions in complex environments such as buildings, caves or tunnels. The spherical design protects the vehicle's internal components and allows the UAV to roll over the ground when the environment allows. The drone can land and take off in any position and come into contact with objects without endangering the propellers and can restart even after crashes.
Sperical UAV: Crash Test with 1/2 liter bottle from 2 meters