Schweitzer, Thibault (ISAE-Supmeca), Mcharek, Mehdi (Supmeca), Khenfri, Fouad (ESTACA), Hammadi, Moncef (ISAE-Supmeca)

Sensor Selection Tradeoff for Robust C-SLAM in UAV Swarm Systems for Indoor Navigation

Scheduled for presentation during the Regular Session "Advanced Motion Planning and Navigation" (FrBT2), Friday, July 18, 2025, 15:40−16:00, Room 106

Joint 10th IFAC Symposium on Mechatronic Systems and 14th Symposium on Robotics, July 15-18, 2025, Paris, France

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on August 2, 2025

Abstract

Swarms of UAVs offer enhanced capabilities through coordinated operations. However, effective swarm navigation in GNSS-denied indoor environments relies on robust and precise localization, which presents significant challenges due to harsh conditions. Collaborative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (C-SLAM) algorithms offer a promising solution, but their success depends heavily on selecting an optimal combination of sensors that balances tradeoffs between accuracy, robustness, energy efficiency, and payload constraints. This paper addresses this challenge by employing the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to systematically evaluate and prioritize perception and ranging sensors for UAV swarms. Through a detailed tradeoff analysis, the study identifies the RGB-D camera, UWB module, and IMU as the most effective sensor combination, enabling enhanced performance and robustness in challenging indoor environments. The findings provide a structured decision-making framework for sensor selection, advancing the design of robust C-SLAM systems for real-world UAV swarm applications.