Intelligent UAV Systems: Fundamentals, Technologies And Applications

With the fast pace in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as drones, have been developing, several breakthroughs have been achieved in numerous sectors like surveillance, inspections, security, agriculture, and disaster relief operations. In this project book, an insight into drone technology is provided, covering topics related to the introduction, mechanisms, and types of drones depending on their structure and application. Specifically, the main focus of the book is on crack detection drones, whose application involves inspecting infrastructural assets like buildings, bridges, and structures for any possible damage by utilizing camera sensors. Another type of drone covered in the book is Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) drones, whose principle of operation allows for smooth and uninterrupted navigation without the need for GPS signals, which are usually integrated with vision and inertial sensors. Furthermore, there is coverage of ant drones, which operate by detecting and preventing unauthorized drone activities using technologies such as radar, RF detection, and jamming systems.