Opportunities for autonomous UAV in harsh environments

This paper describes the challenges raised from the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on the exploration of inhospitable places that present limitations and risks to humans; for instance, we describe the case of cave exploration. UAVs have emerged as an attractive alternative for performing this task in a safety and reliable manner. However, challenges regarding control management, accurate positioning and navigation, and reliable wireless connectivity need to be addressed in order to achieve effective solutions. Herein, we address those challenges and present possible solutions for enabling the use of UAVs in harsh environments.