Real-time realization of digital surface models and slope map using lidar for UAV navigation in challenging environment

Ahmed T. Fahmy; Ali Massoud; Aboelmagd M. Noureldin; Sidney Givigi; Hermann Brassard

doi:10.1117/12.2520804

2 May 2019 Real-time realization of digital surface models and slope map using lidar for UAV navigation in challenging environment

Ahmed T. Fahmy, Ali Massoud, Aboelmagd M. Noureldin, Sidney Givigi, Hermann Brassard

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11005, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XXIV; 110050P (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2520804
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2019, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

During the last two decades, several research papers have addressed robust filtering algorithms for the airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. Although most of these filtering algorithms are accurate and robust, they are limited to postprocessing since they rely on complex algorithms and needs high execution time if implemented in an embedded processor. There are number of applications that require generating digital surface models (DSMs) in real-time such as path planning for ground vehicles, where a UAV equipped with a LiDAR scan the terrain ahead to find the path ahead of a ground vehicle. LiDAR scans are also critical to assist with finding the most suitable region for UAV Landing. With the growing demand for safe operation of autonomous systems like UAVs, there is a need for efficient LiDAR processing algorithms capable of generating DSMs in real-time. The aim of this research is to discuss the design of an efficient algorithm that can filter LiDAR point cloud, generate DSM and operate in real-time. The algorithm is suitable for real-time implementation on limited resources embeddedprocessors without the need for a supercomputer. It is also capable of estimating the slope maps from the DSM. The proposed method was successfully implemented in C++ in real-time and was examined in an airborne platform. With comparison to the reference data, we were able to demonstrate the capability of the developed method to distinguish, in real-time, the roofs of the buildings (areas of low slope) from the edges of the same buildings (areas of high slope).

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Ahmed T. Fahmy, Ali Massoud, Aboelmagd M. Noureldin, Sidney Givigi, and Hermann Brassard "Real-time realization of digital surface models and slope map using lidar for UAV navigation in challenging environment", Proc. SPIE 11005, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XXIV, 110050P (2 May 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2520804

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available