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Route Planning for Multiple Land Surveying Drones

Presentation · March 2017

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 Path Planning for Multiple Land
Surveying UAVs

42nd Dayton-Cincinnati Aerospace Sciences Symposium

March 1, 2017

Brandon Kunkel, Dr. Kelly Cohen, Dr. Manish Kumar

1
 Land Surveying Methods

– Traditional Land Survey

–  Typically performed on foot with
a team of surveyors
–  Typical equipment: tripods, total
stations, GPS, retroreflector
–  Measure points, distances and
angles
– Aerial Survey
–  Scanning equipment mounted
on aircraft aircraft
–  Generally very expensive

http://www.jrrusso.com/landsurveying.html
http://www.sps-aviation.com/exclusive/images/DORNIER-IN.jpg 2
Why use UAVs for Land Surveying?
– Safety
–  Safer way of surveying high risk areas (i.e. Post-disaster
scenarios, mountainous terrain, etc.)
– Cost savings
–  Cheaper than helicopter/plane surveys
–  Saves ground crews’ time
– Ease of Use
–  Compact/easy to transport and set up
–  Capable of multiple types of surveying
– High Quality Results
–  Being closer to the ground enhances precision
–  Better information than typical land survey

3
UAV Land Mapping - Measurement

Method Advantages Disadvantages

LIDAR •  Highly Accurate •  Expensive
•  Insensitive to light quality •  Weight
•  High fidelity for feature •  Lack of RGB data
rich areas (ex. vegetation
and rocks)
Photogrammetry •  Cheap •  Less Accurate
•  RGB Data for colorized •  Very sensitive to ambient
point cloud light and contrast
•  Good for areas with few •  Longer acquisition and
sharp features processing times
•  Poor for sharp features

For this scenario, photogrammetry is chosen

4
 UAV Land Mapping Methodology
–  Larger survey areas typically use paths called “transects” that are
connected via way points
–  Higher precision applications use physical objects, called ground
control points (GCPs), as reference points to aid data processing

Large scale GIS applications “transect” Map and placement of construction zone
example1 GCPs2
5
UAV Land Mapping Methodology
– Improving Data Quality
–  Some UAV mappers suggest flying two different overlapping
patterns over the same area but at different heights, which
resolves elevation variation problems
–  Others recommend adjusting the altitude of the drone to keep a
constant altitude above ground level, even as features on the
ground vary in altitude.
– No established image overlap amount
–  Walter Volkmann of Micro Aerial Projects3 suggests overlaps of
80% forward and 70% lateral overlap
–  P. Barry and R. Coakley of Ireland’s Baseline Surveys4 suggest
80% forward and 80% lateral overlap
–  Pix4D suggests at least 75% forward overlap and 60% lateral
overlap5

6
AirTheo Concept: Planning
Flight Planning
– Google Maps API
integrated into
software package
UAV 2
– Designate area of
interest (Blue)
UAV 1 – Calculate optimal
flight path (Orange)
based on number of
drones and
START
topography

7
AirTheo Concept: Calibration

CAL CAL

– Calibration Modules are custom total stations that use

lasers to track the position of UAVs throughout flight
–  Retroreflector mounted on each UAV
–  Improves positional accuracy (GPS Accuracy: 3m vs Total
Station Accuracy: 0.001m)
– Ground station coordinates with UAV and CAL modules
during setup, calibration and flight

8
 AirTheo Concept: Data Processing
1.

Data acquired from the survey

can be processed in a variety
of formats, for example:
2.
1.  Colored point cloud
2.  Contour Map
3.  3D Vector Map
4.  Boundary Maps
3.
5.  Difference Maps (erosion)
6.  Composite Map, “stitched
images”

9
Applications for AirTheo
– Environmental monitoring
–  Land map for forest fire
spread predictions
–  Land erosion
–  Arctic ice loss
– Surveillance Baffin Bay, (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

–  Land management
–  Tactical awareness
– Post disaster assessment

Effects of Soil Erosion, (Study.com)

10
K-means Clustering Example Input Data
Geographically distributed targets normalized on interval(0,1)
0.5

–  Clustering typical used for 0.4

y coordinate of the target

organizing data into distinct 0.3

groups for data analysis 0.2

–  Applications: 0.1

–  Robotic situational awareness 0

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
–  Computer vision x coordinate of the target

–  UAV swarm allocation

–  Iterative algorithm that Output Clusters
minimizes the sum of distances Geographically distributed targets normalized on interval(0,1)

of each point to its assigned

0.5

centroid 0.4

–  Iterates until level of convergence y coordinate of the target

0.3

is reached 0.2 Cluster 1

–  Points may get passed between 0.1

Cluster 2
Cluster 3
clusters Cluster 4
Centroids
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x coordinate of the target

11
Genetic Algorithms (GA)
GAs utilize concepts of natural selection and sexual reproduction
from iterative optimization. A typical genetic algorithm structure is as
follows:
1.  Create random initial population.
2.  Use fitness function to evaluate initial population
3.  Create new populations, called generations, based on fitness of
previous generations.
1.  Score each member of the current population by computing its fitness
value
2.  Select parents based on their fitness
3.  Produce children from the parents, making random changes to a single
parent (mutation) or by combining the vector entries of a pair of parents
(crossover)
4.  Use children for next generation
4.  Stop algorithm when a criterion is met

12
 Traveling Salesman Problem
– Traveling salesman problem (TSP)
–  Salesman visits each city once and returns to starting point
–  Optimal path desired (shortest distance)

Multiple TSP - MTSPGA max, Max Route Length = 2.4832, Summed Route Length = 7.3005
Single TSP - Genetic Algorithm, Route Length = 5.7333 1
1
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1

0
0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
0 0.5 1 1.5

Example of a 50 City TSP Solution Example of a 50 City MTSP Solution

13
Assumptions and Simplifications
– UAV flight dynamics are neglected
– Gimbal stabilizes and points camera downwards
– FAA grants waiver for operation of multiple UAVs
– Image post-processing is not considered

14
AirTheo Path Planning Algorithm
1.  User defines inputs for the area of interest and other
survey options
2.  Import topographical data from Google Maps API
3.  Calculate virtual ground control points (VGCPs)
4.  K-means clustering to divide VGCPs into subroutes
5.  Genetic algorithm solves traveling salesman problem
for each route
6.  Total travel time and distance of the survey is
calculated

15
1. Path Planner Inputs
– Elevation data for selected location
– Area of interest (polygon)
– Camera characteristics
–  FOV
–  Resolution
–  Frame rate
– UAV velocity and battery life
– Takeoff and landing location
– Desired ground resolution (m)
– Image overlap (%)

16
 2. Importing Elevation Data
Topography Plot from Google Maps API

Import elevation data

and apply user-defined
Elevation (meter)

1950
boundary lines
1850

3000 4000
3000
2000
2000 Bounded Topography Plot from Google Maps API
1000
1000
Y (meter) 0 X (meter)
0 Elevation (meter)

1950
1850
3000 4000
2500
Location: Salt Lake City 2000
3000
1500 2000
• Latitude: 38.24°N - 38.28°N 1000
1000
500
• Longitude: 112.22°W - 112.19°W Y (meter) X (meter)

17
3. Defining VGCPs
Rectangular Ground Control Points

– Define VGCPs based 3000

on:
–  Image overlap 2500

–  Desired ground 2000

resolution

Y - meters
– Rectangular gridding 1500

is used approximate 1000

transect-based
planning
500

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

X - meters

18
4. VGCP Clustering 1
Area
Estimating the best K value for K-
means clustering
1.  Calculate area of bounded
polygon
2.  Assume area as a square and get 2
side length (√ Area)
3.  Calculate number passes based Square Side length
on image overlap and ground
frame size
4.  Multiply pass # by side length to
get approximate travel distance
5.  Divide by max range of UAV and 3 Passes
round up to get “K” Passes
Passes
Passes
Passes
Passes

19
 4. VGCP Clustering
Rectangular Ground Control Points

3000

2500

2000

Y - meters
– Organize VGCP
1500

1000

via K-means 500

clustering using 0

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

calculated “K”
X - meters

K-Means Clustered Control Points

3000
–  Each cluster sized
so UAV will 2500

complete the path

before depleting 2000
Y coordinate (meter)

battery
–  Clusters are 1500

independent of UAV 1000

Cluster 1
# 𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔=𝑲
500
Cluster 2

−𝒏𝑫𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 0
Centroids

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

X coordinate (meter)

20
5. GA Traveling Salesman Problem
– Each cluster brought separately into a genetic traveling
salesman problem (GTSP) solver
–  Each control point is a city that the UAV must pass through
– Fitness Function (J)
–  Drives selection of superior routes in GTSP solver
–  Based off of Euclidean Distances between control points in
three dimensions

21
 5. GA Traveling Salesman Problem
Cluster 1 Results (Total Distance below UAV Range = 36 km)
Total Distance = 33312.9962 5 Best Solution History
x 10
3000

2500 1.8

1.6

2000

Travel Distance (meter)

1.4
Y coordinates (meter)

1.2
1500
1

0.8
1000
0.6

0.4
500

0.2

0 0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
X coordinates (meter) Iteration

22
 5. GA Traveling Salesman Problem
Cluster 2 Results (Total Distance below UAV Range = 36 km)
Total Distance = 33232.8780 4 Best Solution History
x 10
3000

16

2500
14

2000 12

Travel Distance (meter)

Y coordinates (meter)

10
1500
8

1000 6

4
500
2

0 0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
X coordinates (meter) Iteration

23
 Combined Paths
Combined Flight Routes for 2 Clusters

2200
Elevation (meter)

Starting Location
Cluster 1
2000
Cluster 2

1800
4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500
5000
1000 4500
4000
3500
3000
500 2500
2000
Y coordinates (meter) 1500
0 1000
500
0
X coordinates (meter)

To perform this Land Survey (including preparation and planning) takes ~ 4 hours
when using 2 UAVs and ~4.5 hours for 1 UAV.
24
 UAV Surveying Cost Calculation
– Total cost of the survey is calculated using median
hourly wage of land surveyors ($17.20/hr)
–  Ground Station set up and teardown time in hours (Setup)
–  Drone setup and calibration in hours (DroneSetup)
–  Number of surveyors (nSurveyors)
–  Number of UAVs (nDrones)
–  Total flight time in hours (FlightTime)
–  Time spent changing batteries in hours (Battery)

𝑪𝒐𝒔𝒕=𝑾𝒂𝒈𝒆∗𝒏𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒓𝒔∗(𝑺𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒑+𝑫𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆𝑺𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒑∗𝒏𝑫𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔+𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚+𝑭𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆)

25
Limitations of Methodology
– Doesn’t consider flight dynamics
– Placing control points works best with rectangular area
– Path planning does not consider the concavity/
sharpness of land features and the effect on
photogrammetry
– Doesn’t attempt to maintain line-of-sight with calibration
modules

26
Future Work for AirTheo
– UAV Design
–  Hardware Design
–  Flight software
–  Land mapping software (Photogrammetry/LIDAR)
–  UAV flight controller
– Ground Station Design
–  Improve path planning algorithm
–  Improve fitness function for GTSP solver
–  Incorporate flight dynamics
–  Develop fuzzy logic controller for avoiding obstruction of calibration modules
–  Develop post-processing software

27
 References
1.  Greenwood, Faine. Chapter 4: How to Make Maps with Drones. Drones and Aerial
Observation: New Technologies for Property Rights, Human Rights, and Global
Development, A Primer.
2.  C. Álvarez, A. Roze A. Halter, and L. Garcia. Generating highly accurate 3D data using a
senseFly albris drone.
3.  Walter Volkmann and Grenville Barnes, “Virtual Surveying: Mapping and Modeling
Cadastral Boundaries Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS),” (paper presented at the
XXV FIG Congress, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 16-21, 2014),
http://www.fg.net/resources/proceedings/fg_proceedings/fg2014/papers/ts09a/
TS09A_barnes_volkmann_7300.pdf.
4.  P. Barry and R. Coakley, “Field Accuracy Test of RPAS Photogrammetry,” (paper presented
at UAV-g 2013, Zurich, Switzerland, May 16, 2013),
http://www.uav-g.org/Presentations/UAS_and_Photogrammetry/Barry_P-
Field_Accuracy_Test.pdf.
5.  “Step 1. Before Starting a Project > 1. Designing the Images Acquisition Plan > a. Selecting
the Images Acquisition Plan Type,” Pix4D Support Site, April 24, 2015,
https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en-us/articles/202557459-Step-1-Before-Starting-a-Project-1-
Designing-the-Images-Acquisition-Plan-a-Selecting-the-Images-Acquisition-Plan-Type.
6.  MATLAB K-Means documentation. https://www.mathworks.com/help/stats/kmeans.html.
7.  MATLAB Genetic Algorithm documentation.
https://www.mathworks.com/help/gads/how-the-genetic-algorithm-works.html.
8.  Ernest, Nick D. UAV Swarm Cooperative Control Based on a Genetic-Fuzzy Approach.
University of Cincinnati. 2012.

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