Autonomous system for exploration and navigation in drift networks

This paper describes an autonomous system for exploration and navigation within networks of tunnels, as those typically found in underground mines and caves. In the exploration mode, a remotely located supervisor instructs the system to move through successive sections of the network, gathering range data that is, then, concatenated into 2D/3D survey maps of the environment. In the navigation mode, the supervisor specifies high-level missions on the previously acquired survey maps. A motion planner, then, translates each mission into a set of consecutive navigation actions, separated by natural landmarks. Mission execution consists of detecting landmarks, self-localizing and performing the planned navigation actions.