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Table of Contents
Application Domains – Aerial, Ground, and Marine Vehicle Architectures
Application Domains Overview
Autonomous systems operate across diverse environments that impose unique constraints on perception, communication, control, and safety. While all share a foundation in modular, layered architectures, the operational domain strongly influences how these layers are implemented [1,2]. Some of the most important challenges and differences are listed in the following table:
| Domain | Environmental Constraints | Architectural Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial | 3D motion, strict safety & stability, limited power | Real-time control, airspace coordination, fail-safes |
| Ground | Structured/unstructured terrain, interaction with humans. Complex localisation and mapping | Sensor fusion, dynamic path planning, V2X communication |
| Marine | Underwater acoustics, communication latency, and localisation drift | Navigation under low visibility, adaptive control, and energy management |
Aerial Vehicle Architectures
Aerial autonomous systems include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), drones, and autonomous aircraft. Their software architectures must ensure flight stability, real-time control, and safety compliance while supporting mission-level autonomy [3]. UAV architectures are often tightly coupled with flight control hardware, leading to a split architecture:
- Onboard system (real-time control and perception)
- Ground control system (mission management, supervision)
[1]
Kendoul, F. (2012). Four-dimensional guidance and control of autonomous aerial vehicles. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 20(1), 283–297.
[2]
Corke, P., Roberts, J., & Sukkarieh, S. (2017). Networked robotics: Building large-scale autonomy. Annual Reviews in Control, 43, 19–35
[3]
Kendoul, F. (2012). Four-dimensional guidance and control of autonomous aerial vehicles. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 20(1), 283–297
