BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone

Henry J Hickson; Andrew T Conn; Hemma Philamore

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone

Henry J Hickson^*, Andrew T Conn, Hemma Philamore

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

Abstract

Exploring complex 3-dimensional spaces such as the ever-changing vegetated environment of a vertical farm, is a challenging task to automate. Whilst aerial robots are excellent at observing these types of spaces, they are limited in battery life and their rotor blades can be cause for safety concern. This paper introduces an alternative solution in the form of a lightweight, helium assisted drone. The BlimpleBee is thought to be the smallest of its kind at 0.55 m diameter and a total weight of 31.02 g, is able to navigate complex, restricted environments with efficiency. Its slow speed dynamics and hovering ability makes it ideal for inspection type tasks. Through a series of experiments, the performance of the BlimpleBee was characterised and shown to be a viable and promising solution for indoor inspection tasks provided some of the challenges around airflow disturbance can be overcome.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems
Subtitle of host publication	25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II
Editors	M Nazmul Huda, Mingfeng Wang, Tatiana Kalganova
Publisher	Springer, Cham
Pages	171–183
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-72059-8
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-72058-1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16
Publication status	Published - 30 Dec 2024
Event	Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS) 2024 - Brunel University, London, United Kingdom Duration: 21 Aug 2024 → 23 Aug 2024 Conference number: 25th

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer Nature
Volume	15052
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS) 2024
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	London
Period	21/08/24 → 23/08/24

Keywords

robotics
pollination
blimp
vertical farming
aerial
inspection
agriculture

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

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Hickson, H. J., Conn, A. T., & Philamore, H. (2024). BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone. In M. N. Huda, M. Wang, & T. Kalganova (Eds.), Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems: 25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (pp. 171–183). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15052). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

Hickson, Henry J ; Conn, Andrew T ; Philamore, Hemma. / BlimpleBee : The helium assisted indoor inspection drone. Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems: 25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II. editor / M Nazmul Huda ; Mingfeng Wang ; Tatiana Kalganova. Springer, Cham, 2024. pp. 171–183 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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title = "BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone",

abstract = "Exploring complex 3-dimensional spaces such as the ever-changing vegetated environment of a vertical farm, is a challenging task to automate. Whilst aerial robots are excellent at observing these types of spaces, they are limited in battery life and their rotor blades can be cause for safety concern. This paper introduces an alternative solution in the form of a lightweight, helium assisted drone. The BlimpleBee is thought to be the smallest of its kind at 0.55 m diameter and a total weight of 31.02 g, is able to navigate complex, restricted environments with efficiency. Its slow speed dynamics and hovering ability makes it ideal for inspection type tasks. Through a series of experiments, the performance of the BlimpleBee was characterised and shown to be a viable and promising solution for indoor inspection tasks provided some of the challenges around airflow disturbance can be overcome.",

keywords = "robotics, pollination, blimp, vertical farming, aerial, inspection, agriculture",

author = "Hickson, {Henry J} and Conn, {Andrew T} and Hemma Philamore",

year = "2024",

month = dec,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-031-72058-1",

series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science",

publisher = "Springer, Cham",

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editor = "Huda, {M Nazmul } and Wang, {Mingfeng } and Kalganova, {Tatiana }",

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address = "Switzerland",

note = "Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS) 2024 ; Conference date: 21-08-2024 Through 23-08-2024",

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Hickson, HJ , Conn, AT & Philamore, H 2024, BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone. in MN Huda, M Wang & T Kalganova (eds), Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems: 25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 15052, Springer, Cham, pp. 171–183, Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS) 2024, London, United Kingdom, 21/08/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone. / Hickson, Henry J ; Conn, Andrew T ; Philamore, Hemma.
Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems: 25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II. ed. / M Nazmul Huda; Mingfeng Wang; Tatiana Kalganova. Springer, Cham, 2024. p. 171–183 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15052).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

TY - GEN

T1 - BlimpleBee

T2 - Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS) 2024

AU - Hickson, Henry J

AU - Conn, Andrew T

AU - Philamore, Hemma

N1 - Conference code: 25th

PY - 2024/12/30

Y1 - 2024/12/30

N2 - Exploring complex 3-dimensional spaces such as the ever-changing vegetated environment of a vertical farm, is a challenging task to automate. Whilst aerial robots are excellent at observing these types of spaces, they are limited in battery life and their rotor blades can be cause for safety concern. This paper introduces an alternative solution in the form of a lightweight, helium assisted drone. The BlimpleBee is thought to be the smallest of its kind at 0.55 m diameter and a total weight of 31.02 g, is able to navigate complex, restricted environments with efficiency. Its slow speed dynamics and hovering ability makes it ideal for inspection type tasks. Through a series of experiments, the performance of the BlimpleBee was characterised and shown to be a viable and promising solution for indoor inspection tasks provided some of the challenges around airflow disturbance can be overcome.

AB - Exploring complex 3-dimensional spaces such as the ever-changing vegetated environment of a vertical farm, is a challenging task to automate. Whilst aerial robots are excellent at observing these types of spaces, they are limited in battery life and their rotor blades can be cause for safety concern. This paper introduces an alternative solution in the form of a lightweight, helium assisted drone. The BlimpleBee is thought to be the smallest of its kind at 0.55 m diameter and a total weight of 31.02 g, is able to navigate complex, restricted environments with efficiency. Its slow speed dynamics and hovering ability makes it ideal for inspection type tasks. Through a series of experiments, the performance of the BlimpleBee was characterised and shown to be a viable and promising solution for indoor inspection tasks provided some of the challenges around airflow disturbance can be overcome.

KW - robotics

KW - pollination

KW - blimp

KW - vertical farming

KW - aerial

KW - inspection

KW - agriculture

UR - https://taros-conference.org/2024-2/

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

SN - 978-3-031-72058-1

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science

SP - 171

EP - 183

BT - Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems

A2 - Huda, M Nazmul

A2 - Wang, Mingfeng

A2 - Kalganova, Tatiana

PB - Springer, Cham

Y2 - 21 August 2024 through 23 August 2024

ER -

Hickson HJ , Conn AT , Philamore H. BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone. In Huda MN, Wang M, Kalganova T, editors, Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems: 25th Annual Conference, TAROS 2024, London, UK, August 21–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II. Springer, Cham. 2024. p. 171–183. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2024 Aug 23. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-72062-8_16

BlimpleBee: The helium assisted indoor inspection drone

Abstract

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Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

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