Cross-Session 3D LiDAR and Camera Fusion for Robust Localization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in GPS-Denied Environments

Abstract

Accurate localization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is essential for applications such as structural health monitoring, especially in environments where Global Positioning System (GPS) signals are denied or unreliable, like indoor spaces, tunnels, urban canyons, or areas beneath large structures. To address this challenge, we propose Cross-Fusion, a novel method for real-time UAV localization that integrates data from a 3D Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and a monocular camera. A key contribution is its cross-session fusion strategy, which integrates visual and geometric information collected from multiple agents during routine baseline surveys to improve localization consistency and map completeness. The system employs LiDAR-based odometry for motion tracking and image-based feature matching via a single red-green-blue (RGB) camera to correct drift and improve accuracy. Unlike visual-inertial systems, Cross-Fusion maintains a simple sensor setup and avoids the complexity of stereo or global shutter configurations. Experimental results demonstrate that Cross-Fusion achieves localization accuracy comparable to GPS-based methods and performs reliably in challenging feature-sparse environments.