Online localization of radio-tagged wildlife with an autonomous aerial robot system

Oliver M. Cliff, Robert Fitch, Salah Sukkarieh, Debra L. Saunders, Robert Heinsohn

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    85 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The application of autonomous robots to efficiently locate small wildlife species has the potential to provide significant ecological insights not previously possible using traditional land-based survey techniques, and a basis for improved conservation policy and management. We present an approach for autonomously localizing radio-tagged wildlife using a small aerial robot. We present a novel two-point phased array antenna system that yields unambiguous bearing measurements and an associated uncertainty measure. Our estimation and information-based planning algorithms incorporate this bearing uncertainty to choose observation points that improve confidence in the location estimate. These algorithms run online in real time and we report experimental results that show successful autonomous localization of stationary radio tags and live radio-tagged birds.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationRobotics
    Subtitle of host publicationScience and Systems XI, RSS 2015
    EditorsJonas Buchli, David Hsu, Lydia E. Kavraki
    PublisherMIT Press Journals
    ISBN (Electronic)9780992374716
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015
    Event2015 Robotics: Science and Systems Conference, RSS 2015 - Rome, Italy
    Duration: 13 Jul 201517 Jul 2015

    Publication series

    NameRobotics: Science and Systems
    Volume11
    ISSN (Electronic)2330-765X

    Conference

    Conference2015 Robotics: Science and Systems Conference, RSS 2015
    Country/TerritoryItaly
    CityRome
    Period13/07/1517/07/15

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