The Design of Autonomous UAV Prototypes for Inspecting Tunnel Construction Environment

Abstract

This article presents novel designs of autonomous UAV prototypes specifically developed for inspecting GPS-denied tunnel construction environments with dynamic human and robotic presence. Our UAVs integrate advanced sensor suites and robust motion planning algorithms to autonomously navigate and explore these complex environments. We validated our approach through comprehensive simulation experiments in PX4 Gazebo and Airsim Unreal Engine 4 environments. Real-world wind tests and exploration experiments demonstrate the UAVs' capability to operate stably under diverse environmental conditions without GPS assistance. This study highlights the practicality and resilience of our UAV prototypes in real-world applications.