Australian Outback Challenge Team

Advisor: Kevin Kochersberger

Billy Bob Thornton, George Clooney, Will Farrell, Ben Stiller

Problem
A hiker, Outback Joe, has become lost in the
Australian Outback. An autonomous aerial vehicle
capable of searching a one-mile square area must
detect Joe, report his coordinates, and drop a 500 mL
water bottle to him all autonomously.

Color/shape
detection

Innovation
Water
bottle
deliver
y
system
Labvie
w
mission
interfac
e

Results

Technical approach
Communications and data processing via
LabVIEW
EO/IR camera used to detect both visual
and infrared spectrums and fuse data
using maximum entropy for more
accurate geo-locating
OpenCV library of vision functions
employed for color thresholding, blob
detection
Serial data GPS and IMU along with
camera calibration used to geo-locate
targets
Flight plan re-allocation software (C++)
written to modify mission once Joe is
found. Uploaded via supervisory control

Water bottle drop mechanism and

command software successfully
placed bottle at 5 m in three flight
tests at 60 m altitude

Overflight at 200
found three pairs
of jeans
successfully and
geo-located them
And of course, a special debt of
gratitude to our brilliant advisor, Dr.
Kochersberger