Moving Target Tracking by Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: A Survey and Taxonomy

Moving target tracking is one of the most active applications in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Due to their high adaptability, UAVs equipped with multisensor vision tracking techniques can perform various tasks in hazardous environments. However, varying application requirements and scenarios result in different tracking focuses. This article reviews the current research status of UAV moving target tracking with tracking requirements in mind. First, this article proposes a taxonomy that categorizes target tracking techniques into three categories: detection tracking, following tracking, and cooperative tracking, which based on the varying requirements of target tracking in different scenarios. Furthermore, the current UAV algorithms for tracking moving targets are classified and summarized based on different application scenarios. Finally, this article conducts research and analysis on experimental results, funded projects, and competitions to compare the real-world application effects and current progress of UAV tracking methods in relevant fields. In addition, it discusses the challenges and future research directions for UAVs in tracking.