idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instance:
Share on: 
03/06/2024 11:15

Compact navigation systems for unmanned drones of the future

Susann Thoma Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Fraunhofer-Institut für Zuverlässigkeit und Mikrointegration IZM

    When Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones are used to survey industrial
    buildings, map terrain, or transport cargo for the logistics sector, they need to
    be as lightweight as possible, but carry the greatest possible payload.
    Fraunhofer IZM has developed a compact and lightweight navigation unit (IMU)
    for such drones, which enables centimeter-perfect accuracy that was previously
    unattainable for civilian applications.

    The aim of the IMUcompact research project was to develop a unit that can track the
    position of autonomous drone systems with pinpoint accuracy. The inertial
    measurement unit (or IMU for short) at the heart of the system essentially uses three
    gyroscope axes and three acceleration sensors to establish a position in navigation uses
    or map terrain with centimeter-level precision, even without a GPS signal. Compact,
    low-resolution gyroscopes are now found in most smartphones and smartwatches, for
    example to determine the orientation of the screen or camera. Although these socalled
    MEMS gyroscopes are also small and lightweight, they are easily affected by
    environmental forces like changes in the temperature, humidity, or electromagnetic
    fields. This made them less suitable for use on drones, but IMU systems with higher
    resolutions used to be no feasible option for industry or commercial use due to their
    size and cost.

    The interferometric fiber optic miniature gyroscope (IFOG) developed at the Fraunhofer
    Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM enables a higher level of detail and can
    be fitted to a wide variety of carrier drones due to its compactness and low weight.
    As IFOGs contain no moving parts and are electromagnetically insensitive, they are far
    better suited for use in UAVs than conventional MEMS alternatives.

    Exceptional miniaturization, courtesy of an innovative assembly method
    A novel assembly method was developed to make sure that the electronic and optical
    components of the IMU can be arranged in such a way that a high degree of
    miniaturization is achieved without compromising on accuracy. Conventional IMUs only
    have a resolution in the range of 25 to 30cm. By comparison, the gyroscope developed
    at Fraunhofer IZM now offers an absolute accuracy of less than 10cm. The special
    arrangement of the measuring components on a 3D-printed optical bench also gives it
    great mechanical strength for industrial applications, all while keeping the weight very
    low. In addition, the researchers developed an application-specific circuit board, with a
    robust and compact design.

    Photogrammetric measurements from the air
    One of the first practical applications of the new IMU is photogrammetry with UAVs.
    Photogrammetry is the technology for measuring and identifying physical objects using
    a combination of 2D images and 3D measurement methods such as LIDAR. In this case,
    the weight of the IMU must not exceed 5 kg. Possible applications for drone-based
    photogrammetry include the automated surveying of factory buildings, the technical
    monitoring of offshore wind turbines, or automated stocktaking in agriculture and
    livestock farming. Drone-based photogrammetry can also make an important
    contribution for damage assessments in disaster areas, especially when large areas are
    affected by unexpected environmental events. Providers of online mapping services also
    use photogrammetric methods to create digital 3D maps, although this often required
    the cost-intensive use of aircraft or gyrocopters with the necessary measurement
    technology on board.

    Strong partnership between research and industry
    "As experts in the assembly and interconnection technology of optical fibers, we were
    able to work with our project partners and develop a demonstrator that combined an
    IMU with a GPS system and a powerful integrated circuit to create a complete,
    integrated solution. The next step is to optimize this prototype in order to further
    advance the civilian use of autonomous drone systems," project leader Dr. Alethea
    Vanessa Zamora Gómez and developer Christian Janeczka proudly summarize the end
    of the project. The IMU could be used in other carrier systems such as marine, aerial, or
    other autonomous vehicles and even AI-based logistics networks for even greater
    automation.

    In addition to Fraunhofer IZM, the IMUcompact project included IGI - Ingenieur-
    Gesellschaft für Interfaces mbH, IntraNav GmbH, and MILAN Geoservice GmbH as
    associate partner. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and
    Research for a period of five years until March 2023 under funding code 13N14758.

    (Text: Yannic Walter)


    Contact for scientific information:

    Dr. Alethea Vanessa Zamora Gómez l phone +49 30 46403- 7995 l alethea.vanessa.zamora.gomez@izm.fraunhofer.de |
    Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM I Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25 | 13355 Berlin | www.izm.fraunhofer.de |


    Original publication:

    https://www.izm.fraunhofer.de/en/news_events/tech_news/compact-navigation-system...


    Images

    CAD model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)
    CAD model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)
    Fraunhofer IZM
    Fraunhofer IZM

    Actual model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)
    Actual model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)
    Fraunhofer IZM
    Fraunhofer IZM


    Attachment
    attachment icon The navigation unit (IMU) enables photogrammetric surveying from the air using unmanned drones.

    Criteria of this press release:
    Business and commerce, Journalists, Scientists and scholars
    Electrical engineering, Environment / ecology, Information technology, Traffic / transport
    transregional, national
    Research projects
    English


     

    CAD model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)


    For download

    x

    Actual model of the interferometric miniature gyroscope (IFOG)


    For download

    x

    Help

    Search / advanced search of the idw archives
    Combination of search terms

    You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.

    Brackets

    You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).

    Phrases

    Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.

    Selection criteria

    You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).

    If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).