Vector Field-Based Robust Quadrotor Landing on a Moving Ground Platform

The autonomous landing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on moving platforms has potential applications across various domains. However, robust landing remains challenging because the detection reliability of UAVs decreases when the UAV is close to a moving platform. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel landing strategy that ensures a high detection rate. First, a robust detectable region was established by considering the sensing range and maneuverability limitations of the UAV. Second, a vector field was designed to guide the UAV to the moving platform while remaining in a robust detectable region. Next, safe and accurate landings were achieved by considering the current velocity and vector field. The landing strategy was validated through outdoor flight experiments. A quadrotor equipped with a gimbal-mounted camera was used, and a fractal marker was attached to the moving platform for detection and tracking. When the moving platform moved at a speed of 2–4.3 m/s, the UAV successfully landed on the platform with a distance error of 0.4 m. Because of the robust detectable region and vector field, the detection was conducted with a high success rate (94.9%).