Sensor Fusion Technology for Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAV): A Review of Methods and Applications

Obstacle detection is one of the most important parts of vehicle driving in Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAV), which has been the subject of extensive research with the advancement of sensor fusion technology. Obstacle detection is a challenging process that considers the variety of obstacles, sensor properties, and ambient factors. Although research into driver assistance or autonomous driving systems for any environments has been thorough. Due to the sensing constraints in range, signal characteristics, and operating circumstances of detection, a single type of sensor finds it challenging to satisfy the objectives of obstacle detection. This drives researchers and engineers to develop multi-sensor fusion and system integration methodologies. This survey intends to provide users with a framework for selecting sensors based on their performance needs and application scenarios by outlining the key factors for onboard multi-sensor configuration of autonomous vehicles in the any environment conditions. Modern multi-sensor fusion techniques are discussed, along with system prototypes, and the relevant heterogeneous sensor configurations are linked. Finally, difficulties and new technologies are discussed for further research.