I-Corps: On-line image analysis and dynamic mission planning for unmanned aerial vehicles

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

This I-Corps project explores the commercial applicability of novel image analysis and feature detection algorithms and dynamic path planning algorithms. The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project include creation and commercialization of a software product for monitoring agricultural and natural landscapes using unmanned aerial systems. The benefits of commercialization of this advanced technology are expected to include improvement in the profitability and productivity of major food crops, increase in food security, and enable long-term sustainability of the nation's agronomic and natural resources. The proposed customer-interaction efforts will also lead to increased technical capacity among stakeholders in US agriculture and natural resource management sectors as they will involve intensive interaction between the proposing team with scientific and technical expertise, and the stakeholders in the target customer segments who have the necessary on-the-ground experience. This I-Corps project's image analysis and feature detection algorithms and dynamic path planning algorithms have been developed for rapid and computationally efficient detection of anomalous areas in visual spectrum images using mobile processors. The dynamic path planning algorithms enable automatic mid-flight modification of drone flight plans based on analysis of incoming data from drone-based sensors. Together these algorithms enable autonomous capture of high-value information and immediate delivery of actionable insights from drone missions. This technology will be a significant improvement on existing commercial offerings for drone-based monitoring, which involve high labor and equipment costs, require cloud-connectivity for data analysis, and are difficult to use and understand. By contrast, the fundamentally new workflow paradigms and innovative technical advances that will be examined here will enable rapid delivery of actionable insights about potential problems in remote environments using consumer level drones and visual spectrum cameras.