The deployable Integrated Positioning System (IPS) for self-localization and environmental mapping will track and trace first responders and offer seamless navigation indoors and outdoors in an absolute reference system, while also creating a map of the surrounding environment and detecting and tracking persons and assets in real time.

IPS is a portable, passive system for ego-motion determination (position and attitude). It is designed for non cooperative environments (without infrastructure, external referencing or maps). IPS delivers an accurate trajectory due to optimal fusion of stereo vision and inertial navigation and is furthermore suitable for indoor and outdoor applications in real time. The developed workflow applies for both indoor and outdoor FR continuous self-localization and environmental mapping.

An airborne sensor system for search and rescue applications has been also developed by DLR building on features of the modular aerial camera system (MACS) family. It provides rapid aerial mapping and generates georeferenced data for an instantaneous overview of the area as a large scale situational picture (LS).

At the same time, distinct features are extracted by both systems IPS and MACS-SaR. These features are used by IPS to transfer relative coordinates to a global reference frame. Finally, the first responders’ trajectory, generated by IPS can be visualized on a map provided by MACS-SaR. This will improve the situational awareness of the FRs and increase their operational capacity.

IPS and MACS-SaR systems are being developed by our partners from DLR, the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. DLR participates in INGENIOUS with the Institute of Optical Sensor Systems (DLR-OS) which is specialised in developing and validating active and passive optical sensor systems applied in Earth observation, robotics and planetary research as well as in transport and security.

Watch the following video to find out more about the scope of the INGENIOUS Deployable Positioning system (IPS/MACSSaR) and how it works: