Navigation system for exploring and/or monitoring unknown and/or difficult environments

摘要

A navigation system for exploring and/or monitoring unknown and/or difficult environments is provided that includes a mission control module, an unmanned vehicle operable for carrying out the exploration and/or monitoring mission, a primary node coupled to the mission control module that includes an ultra-wideband radio interface, and a plurality of secondary nodes for deployment in the unknown and/or difficult environment, each secondary node including an ultra-wideband radio interface. The primary node and secondary nodes are configured to form a hierarchical communication and localization network in which the primary node is associated with a primary hierarchical level and each secondary node is associated with a respective secondary hierarchical level lower than the primary hierarchical level. On the basis of distance measurements and distance-related messages associated with the system, a local reference coordinate system indicative of the positions of the secondary nodes with respect to the primary node is established.