Odometry Enhancement and Localization in Orchards Using Tree Trunk Landmarks with 2D LiDAR

Localization and navigation in unstructured environments are essential functions of autonomous mobile robots, with their application domains continuing to expand across various fields. In this context, this paper focuses on the problem of localization in orchard environments. Because the trees are typically planted at relatively wide intervals, they are well-suited to be used as landmarks. This paper investigates two key aspects of utilizing tree landmarks for robust localization. The first is to improve odometry accuracy by introducing a triangle-based signature that enables reliable landmark correspondence. The second is to evaluate how the quality of a landmark-based map affects localization accuracy, by comparing maps generated through 2D SLAM and 3D SLAM. The proposed localization method is tested in a real-world orchard environment to demonstrate its effectiveness as a foundation for autonomous navigation.