INTERNAL_GUIDANCE_SYSTEMS

When a drone enters a building, the GPS signal is lost. SLAM is the technology that allows the drone to build a 3D map of the room while simultaneously tracking its own position within that map.

SENSOR ARCHITECTURE

LIDAR SLAM

Pros: Works in 100% darkness; provides high-precision "Point Clouds."
Cons: Sensors are heavy and consume significant battery power.

VISUAL SLAM (V-SLAM)

Pros: Uses standard cameras; extremely lightweight; understands objects (e.g., "that is a chair").
Cons: Fails in low-light, fog, or mirrors.

LOOP_CLOSURE

"The most important part of SLAM is Loop Closure. When the drone returns to a spot it recognizes, it 'snaps' the entire map into alignment, correcting any distance errors that built up during flight."