Localization algorithms for indoor UAVs

Abstract: The increased market for navigation, localization and mapping system has encouraged the research to dig deeper into these new and challenging areas. The remarkable development of computer soft- and hardware have also opened up many new doors. Things which more or less where impossible ten years ago are now reality. The possibilities of using a mathematical approach to compensate for the need of expensive sensors has been one of the main objectives in this thesis. Here you will find the basic principles of localization of indoor UAVs using particle filter (PF) and Octomaps, but also the procedures of implementing 2D scanmatching algorithms and quaternions. The performance of the algorithms is evaluated using a high precision motion capture system. The UAV which forms the basis for this thesis is equipped with a 2D laser and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The results show that it is possible to perform localization in 2D with centimetre precision only by using information from a laser and a predefined Octomap.