Engineers at the Maritime State University (MSU named after Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy) have patented a method that allows a drone to automatically land on the deck of a ship, even if it is moving. The development solves one of the most complex tasks in drone control — precise landing in conditions of rolling and wind.
The drone is equipped with a video camera, a single-board computer, and a flight controller. Visual markers of various types are placed in advance on the ship's landing site — they become reference points for the computer vision system.
The algorithm works as follows: the drone enters the area where the ship is located and hovers at a specified height. The camera captures an image of the deck, the computer calculates the coordinates of the markers in real time, and determines the position and orientation of the site relative to the drone. Based on how the position of the markers changes, the system estimates the speed and acceleration of the ship, and then predicts where the landing site will be at the next moment.
Based on this data, the flight controller receives commands for maneuvering. The drone approaches the ship, keeping the site in sight, and smoothly descends until it touches down.
The main advantage of the method is the ability to land a drone on a moving ship without human intervention, completely automatically. This is critical for delivering cargo, reconnaissance, or rescue operations at sea, where the deck is constantly shifting under the influence of waves.