Development of an Autonomous Blimp (Airship) for Indoor Navigation

Abstract

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are useful for a multitude of applications in today’s age, covering a wide variety of fields such as defense, environmental science, meteorology, emergency responders, search and rescue operations, entertainment robotics, etc. One such category of UAVs is the lighter-than-air aircraft that provides advantages over the other types of UAVs. Blimps are among the participants of the lighter-than-air category that are expected to offer advantages such as higher endurance and range and safer and more comfortable human-machine interactions, as compared to fixed-wing and rotor-wing UAVs due to their design. This study details the development of a Robot Operating System (ROS)-based control system designed for the autonomous operation of the blimp. The paper explores the integration and implementation of ultrasonic sensors and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) technology to enhance collision avoidance capabilities during flight. Furthermore, the research includes an in-depth analysis of the blimp's stability under various operational conditions. The controller’s performance was found to be reliable, with a deficient cross-track error in different directions and altitudes. An integrated sensing module has been affixed to the experimental blimp, serving the purpose of capturing a comprehensive set of data, including video feed, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. This sophisticated sensing apparatus enhances the blimp's functionality, especially when deployed in external or outdoor environments. The video feed facilitates visual monitoring while collecting environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and pressure and provides valuable insights into the external conditions in which the blimp operates.</div></div>