Habeych Nájera, Axel David (2026) Design and Integration of Bio-Inspired Sensor Architecture for Long-Range UAVs: Adaptation of a Simulation Sandbox for Flight Performance Evaluation. Research Project, Industrial Engineering and Management.
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Abstract
Birds achieve remarkable long-distance migration by combining geomagnetic and visual cues. In particular, the bar-tailed godwit performs non-stop flights from Alaska to New Zealand, remaining airborne for several days. This extraordinary capability has attracted significant research interest, as studying this phenomenon may enable the development of new navigation algorithms. However, experimental investigation is constrained by the lack of affordable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of replicating such long-range missions. This research addresses this gap by investigating how avian navigation principles can be translated into sensing architectures for long-range fixed-wing UAVs using commercially available components. A simulation environment based on Software-In-The-Loop (SITL) and Gazebo was developed to enable systematic evaluation. Different sensor configurations, representing varying levels of performance, were tested in controlled simulations. Performance was assessed using trajectory accuracy, stability, and control effort. Results show that although sensor degradation increases estimation errors and control variability, overall navigation performance remains relatively robust. The study proposes a structured framework combining bio-inspired sensing, trade-off analysis, and simulation-based validation, providing a practical tool to support the design and evaluation of long-range UAV navigation systems prior to real-world implementation.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Research Project) |
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| Supervisor name: | Lentink, D. and Boelen, P. |
| Degree programme: | Industrial Engineering and Management |
| Thesis type: | Research Project |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Mar 2026 09:57 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Mar 2026 09:57 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/37263 |
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