Immersive Operation of a Semi-Autonomous Aerial Platform for Detecting and Mapping Radiation

Recent advancements in radiation detection and computer vision have enabled small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) to produce 3-D radiation maps, for example, composed of gamma rays and neutrons, in real time. Currently, these state-of-the-art systems require two operators: one to pilot the sUAS and another operator to monitor the detected radiation. In this work, we present a system that integrates real-time 3-D radiation visualization with semi-autonomous sUAS control. Our virtual reality (VR) interface enables a single operator to define trajectories using waypoints to abstract complex flight control and utilize the semi-autonomous maneuvering capabilities of the sUAS. The interface also displays a fused radiation visualization and environment map, thereby enabling simultaneous remote operation and radiation monitoring by a single operator. This interface and its underlying framework serves as the basis for development of a single system that can deploy and autonomously control a fleet of radiation-mapping sUASs.