Drone-Based Sound Source Localization: A Systematic Literature Review

Sound source localization (SSL) using microphones mounted on unnamed aerial vehicles (UAVs) holds significant potential for tasks ranging from search-and-rescue and gunshot detection to industrial inspection and wildlife monitoring, particularly in scenarios where camera-based sensing may be limited by poor visibility. Recent surveys take a broad view of SSL methods, with limited coverage of UAV-based approaches. This paper addresses this gap through a systematic review of UAV-based SSL, drawing on 49 studies published between 2014 and 2024. We address four research questions: (1) What is the array configuration of the SSL platform? (2) What are the intended applications of SSL on UAV platforms? (3) What are the choices for the UAV platforms? (4) What are the solutions employed for performing the SSL task? Our findings indicate that 82% of the studies are intended for search-and-rescue contexts, 60% rely on arrays of eight microphones or fewer, and only three implement real-time onboard SSL. Notably, real-time processing of larger arrays and public availability of comprehensive datasets are identified among key obstacles to the field. We conclude by identifying research gaps and proposing future directions in multi-source localisation, real-time processing, and energy efficiency.