Rapid-Deployment Protection for GPS-Denied Quadcopter Flight

Abstract

Nano drones ( 1 kg) provide a safe and efficient way to perform inspections, gather data, and explore inaccessible spaces. These drones, such as the Parrot Anafi, are designed to fly outdoors with a GPS signal, however many modern mission sets involve GPS-denied and cluttered environments such as warehouses and tunnels. The lack of absolute positioning causes drift during flight patterns and increases the risk of collision damage. Existing solutions can be categorized as either permanently integrated cages which are expensive and unwieldy, or propeller-focused guards which fail to afford comprehensive protection. There is a need for an affordable, light-weight system that will protect nano drones such as the Anafi without compromising capabilities such as the camera, sensors, and aerodynamic balance. Ideally such a system will complement the Anafi’s current strengths by being easy and fast to deploy, and collapsing to pocket-size when not in use. The goal of this project is to design and prototype a novel protection system for the Anafi drone platform to expand its operational environments.