Return Strategies for Fixed-Wing MAVs After Loss of GPS

The global positioning system (GPS) is the most important sensor to observe position and velocity of typical fixed-wing mini aerial vehicles (MAVs). At the same time it is a highly sensitive sensor which is able to be jammed. This paper evaluates possibilities to navigate a MAV back to its origin after a GPS outage with focus on minimal modification of the typically used Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) navigation solution. Different strategies based on the inertial navigation system (INS) are discussed and compared in simulation on the basis of a reference scenario. Additionally, a camera based approach is evaluated, augmenting the navigation filter with the epipolar constraint measurement. Simulation and flight data evaluation show the fidelity and feasibility of this approach.