Project summary:
This project deals with collecting and archiving a dataset that will be used to understand and solve the problems of perception and navigation in autonomous aerial vehicles envisioned for use in future transportation systems. The dataset will consist of sensor measurements from a multisensor suit developed specifically for this research by Honeywell International Inc. The sensor suite is hosted on an aerial vehicle that will be flown in representative operational scenarios. The resulting data will be archived and shared with the research community worldwide. The database developed will be an aerial analog to the automotive sensor database developed by the collaborative effort between Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Toyota Technological Institute which is used worldwide (the so-called KTTI dataset which has been cited in over 2,000 publications). The deliverables of the project are a preliminary database that can be used by researchers to understand the challenges of perception and navigation associated with autonomous aerial vehicle operations.