A Cooperative Positioning Method for Micro UAVs in Challenge Environment

The relative position is a key factor for micro UAVs cooperative multi-task mainly using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), while the satellite-based signals are not available in challenge environment such as denied or indoor area. A cooperative positioning method based on the rigid structure principle was presented to solve this problem: each point observes the geometric ranges with its neighbor points and share in the network continuously, then calculate the local rigid graph by iterative approximation method, then each local graph fitting its relative coordinate to same or absolute coordinate by interconnect and anchor points. The method based on ranging and communication network without using high quality inertial sensor, vision sensor and calculator, which beneficial to low-cost and low-load micro swarm. Finally, a principle flight test in State Key Laboratory's test field was shown, which achieve the decimeter relative positioning result in non-cooperative indoor environment.