Shared Control : Balancing Autonomy and Human Assistance with a Group of Quadrotor UAVs

Abstract

Robustness and flexibility constitute the main advantages of multiple-robot systems with respect to single-robot ones as per the recent literature. The use of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) combines these benefits with the agility and pervasiveness of aerial platforms [1], [2]. The degree of autonomy of the multi-UAV system should be tuned according to the specificities of the situation under consideration. For regular missions, fully autonomous UAV systems are often appropriate, but, in general, the use of semiautonomous groups of UAVs, supervised or partially controlled by one or more human operators, is the only viable solution to deal with the complexity and unpredictability of real-world scenarios as in, e.g., the case of search and rescue missions or exploration of large/cluttered environments [3]. In addition, the human presence is also mandatory for taking the responsibility of critical decisions in high-risk situations [4].