Multi-source sensor fusion for small unmanned aircraft systems using fuzzy logic

As the applications for using small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) continue to grow in the coming years, it is imperative that intelligent sensor fusion techniques be explored. In BVLOS scenarios the vehicle position must accurately be tracked over time to ensure no two vehicles collide with one another, no vehicle crashes into surrounding structures, and to identify off-nominal scenarios. In this study, an intelligent systems approach is used to estimate the position of sUAS given a variety of sensor platforms, including GPS, radar, and onboard detection hardware. Common research challenges include multiple sensor platforms and sensor reliability. In an effort to resolve these challenges, techniques such as a Maximum a Posteriori estimation and Fuzzy Logic based sensor confidence determination are used.