Visual target-tracking using a formation of unmanned aerial vehicles

We present a method to visually track and follow a target using a platoon of three unmanned aerial vehicles for the purpose of surveillance, monitoring or escorting. A coordination control technique that enhances specification and monitoring of high level formation parameters such as position, orientation and size is used as a basis for the coordination. A model of a video camera is employed to obtain relative positions with respect to the target of interest. An open-source simulator of Parrot Ar.Drone quadrotors running on the Robot Operating System environment is used to demonstrate the system functionality. Two test cases are presented to illustrate the validity of the approach.Fil: Mas, Ignacio Agustin. Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Curi, Sebastian. Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Kitts, Christopher. Santa Clara University; Estados UnidosFil: Giribet, Juan Ignacio. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Argentino de Matemática Alberto Calderón; ArgentinaInternational Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering ConferenceBostonEstados UnidosAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineer