Towards Perpetually-Deployable Ubiquitous Aerial Robotics: An Amphibious Self-Sustainable Solar Small-UAS

Abstract

This work deals with the problem of unlocking perpetual deployment capabilities for small-UAS robotics across the diverse settings of the real world and their challenges, encompassing considerations for marine environments alongside the more common terrestrial ones. Via the progress made within this scope, a step towards truly ubiquitous and selfsustainable aerial robotics is accomplished. The work consists of the development of the Gannet Solar-VTOL, a waterproof small-UAS that is capable of resting on the surface of water for prolonged periods of time and over varying temperature ranges, while harvesting solar power to recharge itself. Equally importantly, it integrates a field-proven Self-Sustainable Autonomous System architecture that allows it to hibernate and sustain its battery charge overnight or during periods of solar illumination scarcity, as well as to assess mission-critical parameters (e.g., water surface turbulence, ambient temperature of battery compartment) on the low-power side of the Power Management Stack, and react appropriately. Finally, the robot is equipped with an onboard camera and a Neural Processing Unit that allows it to perform in-field environmental monitoring operations (e.g., wildfire detection). This paper experimentally demonstrates the aforementioned capabilities, and concludes with a presentation of the amphibious small-UAS' long-term deployment within a marine environment in the N. Nevada region, spanning over 3 consecutive days.