Russian robotics software developer Wheelies, part of the ITG corporation, has built a demonstrator of an integrated navigation subsystem for multirotor drones that keeps positioning accurate when the satellite signal is lost, a company representative told CNews.
A hardware and software module on each drone runs on its onboard computer, works with the flight controller and combines satellite navigation, the company's own visual odometry from the onboard camera, and ultra-wideband radio beacons on the ground. It picks which source to rely on depending on which data are available and trustworthy.
Wheelies says the visual odometry's error is up to 1% of the route length, and that the system would let groups of drones work at industrial sites, energy facilities and transport infrastructure.
