Advanced Autonomous Navigation Technologies for UAVs: Challenges and Opportunities

The utilization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has revolutionized numerous industries, with navigation being a crucial factor in ensuring their operational success. This literature review examines the subject of UAV navigation, discussing fundamental concepts, GPS-denied challenges, and cutting-edge technologies. The review commences with an explanation of the basic principles of UAV navigation, including the employment of IMUs, GPS, LiDAR, and Stereo Vision Systems. A dedicated section then delves into the challenges posed by GPS-denied environments, emphasizing the importance of GPS in navigation and exploring alternative approaches. The subsequent sections investigate advanced navigation technologies, such as INS/IMU, Multi-sensor Fusion, and AI applications. These innovative research areas cover enhancements to sensors, the development of hybrid navigation systems, deep learning for sensor fusion, and other related topics. The conclusion emphasizes the transformative potential of emerging technologies, providing a roadmap for researchers and practitioners. The identified research directions aim to address current limitations and develop next-generation UAV navigation systems capable of precise navigation in complex and challenging environments.

I- Introduction

In the realm of modern technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have emerged as pivotal players across diverse sectors, reshaping the landscape of various industries and research domains. These versatile aerial platforms come in a spectrum of classes and types, each designed with specific functionalities and applications in mind. From the nimble quadcopters navigating urban landscapes to the sophisticated fixed-wing UAVs surveying vast terrains, the taxonomy of UAVs encompasses a rich diversity of forms and capabilities.