Haptic collision avoidance for a remotely operated quadrotor UAV in indoor environments

Quadrotors are well-suited for indoor flight because of their ability to hover and maneuver in confined spaces. However, remote operation of these vehicles is challenging because of the loss sensory perception. This paper presents methods for using force feedback exerted by the command input device on the hand of the pilot to assist in avoiding collisions while navigating in a 3D indoor environment. Three algorithms for calculating the feedback forces are presented and tested in simulation-based user studies. The force feedback and control system is demonstrated by piloting a physical quadrotor in an indoor environment.