# Long-Duration Autonomy for Small Rotorcraft UAS including Recharging

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.05683 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1810.05683/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 12 Oct 2018.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Belief Roadmaps with Uncertain Landmark Evanescence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.17982/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Many unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance and monitoring applications require observations at precise locations over long periods of time, ideally days or weeks at a time (e.g. ecosystem monitoring), which has been impractical due to limited endurance and the requirement of humans in the loop for operation. To overcome these limitations, we propose a fully autonomous small rotorcraft UAS that is capable of performing repeated sorties for long-term observation missions without any human intervention. We address two key technologies that are critical for such a system: full platform autonomy including emergency response to enable mission execution independently from human operators, and the ability of vision-based precision landing on a recharging station for automated energy replenishment. Experimental results of up to 11 hours of fully autonomous operation in indoor and outdoor environments illustrate the capability of our system.