Enhancing passive target localization technology in UAV low frame-rate image sequences with a Joint Registration and Tracking module

Low frame-rate image sequences, as an emerging visual information carrier, are favored for mobile platforms due to their low redundancy, storage, and transmission requirements. However, their poor spatial-temporal coherence poses challenges for visual tracking tasks, affecting the accuracy of passive target localization for unmanned aerial vehicles. This paper suggests a joint registration and tracking module to tackle this problem. The module incorporates a SIFT-based image registration submodule to enhance the accuracy of target prediction, thus improving the robustness of tracking and the localization accuracy of passive target localization technology. Experimental results demonstrate the method’s superior robustness in target tracking, achieving a target localization accuracy of approximately 4.5 meters at a flying height of 100 meters. Additionally, the data storage requirements are reduced by a factor of 29.3, significantly decreasing onboard computing and transmission resource demands. This approach provides crucial support for enhancing the accuracy and robustness of unmanned aerial vehicle target localization and is expected to yield substantial benefits in practical applications, playing a pivotal role in enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of unmanned aerial vehicle missions.