Multi-instrumentation for pose estimation of UAVs in the context of in-flight deformation measurement of flexible structures

Keywords: Pose estimation, GPS, LIDAR, visual odometry

Scientific coordinator: John-Eric Dufour

E-mail: john-eric.dufour@insa-toulouse.fr

Duration: 18 months

Context:

In an effort to slow the alarming growth of the the CO₂e anthropogenic emissions of the international maritime shipping, the improvement of energy efficiency and the promotion of energy transition in global shipping are clearly emphasized by the IMO.
In order to achieve these goals, several technologies are being researched such as wind assisted propulsion systems and in particular Kite wings as an alternative or additionnal ship propulsion method.

This offer is part of the ESKIF project, a JCJC project funded by the ANR AAPG 2024 and lead by J.-E. Dufour at the Institut Clément Ader, in collaboration with the University of Montpellier and the company Beyond the Sea.

The goal of this project is to develop algorithms and methods to analyze in situ deformations of kite wings installed on boats using the capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and digital image processing techniques. Such an effort would greatly improve the understanding of the mechanics of wind-based propulsion by providing experimental data regarding the behavior of such flexible structures in real conditions. This project aims to use a drone to move a camera close to the kite itself to obtain well resolved kinematic fields, which in turn will provide important mechanical information about the state of the wing.

Environment:

Our team is recruiting a post-doctoral researcher to carry out research related to the positioning of UAVs and the pose estimation of the imaging devices during outdoor testing. This includes but is not limited to the development of numerical tools using data from visual odometry, GPS, or LIDAR to provide an a posteriori estimation of the trajectory of the drones and the orientation of the cameras used in the ESKIF project as well as an estimation of the relative Kite position.

Most of the work will be conducted at the Institut Clément Ader, in Toulouse while experiments will take place in the facility of the University of Montpellier at the Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil (LMGC).

Work package:

In order to measure the displacement of the observed object, the camera must be properly situated within its environment. This work aims at combining instrumentation such as LIDAR, Real Time Kinematic enhanced GPS and visual odometry in order to calculate the position of the imaging device with respect to our reference. Since this project is aimed at on-shore experiments, the position of the drone with respect to a reference frame and the kitewing will take advantage of the existing features of the scene (buildings, reference points, etc) in the first place. UAVs have already been used as a versatile imaging device for mechanical measurement in the last decade. By coupling the drone images with a cutting-edge DIC technique, this project will be able to provide deformation information of the membrane which are currently not observable and thus not accessible. This work will not rely solely on vision and multi-instrumentation of the drone will be investigated. The use of GPS and LIDAR sensors in order to provide reliable information regarding position and orientation to estimate the camera pose in the scene should be investigated. After the onshore positioning is validated, an investigation and exploratory work dedicated to the off-shore positioning wil be conducted, aimed at future work.

The postdoctoral researcher will primarily engage in numerical analysis while also contributing to experimental and field research activities. In addition, they will play an active role in training and mentoring graduate students and will be encouraged to participate in conferences to support their professional development.

Required skills

The candidate should have a PhD in a field relevant to the project (mechanics, robotics,...). We are seeking for an highly motivated individual interested in working on an original project with an experience in research, solid analytical skills and Independence. Strong communication skills both written and and verbal (at least in English) will be essential for the collaboration in a multi-disciplinary environment.

In order to apply for this position, please submit a curriculum vitae, one related publication, and the name and contact information of references to john-eric.dufour@insa-toulouse.fr. Please add the words [POSTDOC ESKIF] at the beginning of the subject line of the email.