Autonomous GPS-free Off-Road Vehicle Navigation Using Low Cost Stereo Vision

Oxbotica, an innovation leader in the field of robotics and machine learning will partner with QinetiQ a world leader in the provision of robotics and autonomous systems for complex environments, to deliver a breakthrough in cost effective self-driving solutions for heavy duty off-highway equipment. This will enable benefits in productivity, safety and well-being of operatives to be demonstrated in high value construction, mining and defence applications. Oxbotica's leading edge technology, currently under test with a number of automotive companies and in on-highway CAV projects offers the potential to use a low cost camera-based approach to self-driving, which enables the potential to deal with the much more dynamically changing environments of large construction projects. In this project QinetiQ will develop a conversion kit that enables drive-by-wire control for large off-highway vehicles, and will then integrate it with Oxbotica's Selenium autonomy system. As a part of the project we will run demonstrations that benchmark capability in tough off-road environments and explore deployment into industries ranging from airports to construction to defence. Finally the partners will integrate a fleet-level command and control system that enables many AV's to interact with other varieties of transportation. This will include a goal-based mission planning system that optimises the route the vehicle will take and will factor in dynamic route conditions and constraints to ensure the vehicle progresses safely and efficiently.