Stereo Camera-Based Position Estimation for Unmanned Aircraft Navigation

This paper presents a new approach for unmanned aircraft navigation that utilizes image data from two cameras in real-time to determine the aircraft's position. The proposed system, based on tracking reference points in space, is able to replace the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver without the need to interfere with the drone's firmware. Our article brings a change by introducing a camera-based system that can acquire image data in real-time, process it, and use it to record reference points in space. The theoretical part of the article describes different image processing methods, followed by an algorithm for determining the position of an unmanned aircraft. The implementation and connection of the entire system will also be discussed, and the article will include real experiments that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in real-world scenarios. This new approach offers a promising solution for navigation in challenging environments where GNSS signals are unreliable or unavailable.