TaeHyeon Jo  YeoGyeom Kim  Su-Hwan Yun  SungTae Moon

10.5626/JOK.2026.53.1.65

UWB localization collaboration system Multi-Drone

Drones are increasingly used in search and rescue operations across large areas. However, traditional methods encounter two main challenges: the inaccuracy of vision and GNSS sensors, and the reliance of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology on fixed anchors. To address these issues, this paper introduces a novel collaborative search system in which multiple drones, accurately localizing themselves with RTK-GPS, act as mobile UWB anchors. In this system, the drone swarm initially conducts a distributed search over the target area. When a UWB tag signal is detected, the swarm reorganizes into a formation optimized for ranging using a potential field algorithm, and then localizes the target's position with a particle filter algorithm. Implementation on a PX4-ROS2-based hardware platform, along with outdoor flight experiments, demonstrates the feasibility of achieving centimeter-level positioning accuracy in expansive, infrastructure-less environments. These findings confirm the practical effectiveness of our system and underscore its potential to revolutionize autonomous search operations.