Edge AI for Aerial Robots: Enhancing Drone Operations with AI

Tutorial @ IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS'24)

Date: 14-18 October 2024

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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About

The integration of technology is exerting a substantial influence on the process of globalization, with drone technology emerging as a prominent example over the past decade. Drones have witnessed a remarkable increase in their usage across various disciplines, including agriculture, surveillance, healthcare, forestry, and military domains. The current international market of surveillance, search and rescue drones is 3254.4 Million US$ and it will potentially grow to 11,468 Million US$ till 2033. Most drones in use are outfitted with sensors and cameras, enabling the creation of specific applications and solutions across various domains. With the rapid advancement in drone technology and AI, there is an urgent need for professionals to stay abreast of the latest developments in real-time AI applications for drones. As drones continue to evolve and play a pivotal role in various industries, AI-powered visual data processing becomes imperative for extracting meaningful information and insights from the vast amount of data collected by drones including AI-on-the-Edge perspective. Specifically, trustworthiness in aerial computer vision is a multifaceted concept that demands an integrated approach to robustness, transparency, and ethical considerations. Building trust in these systems is crucial for their successful integration into various applications and gaining acceptance from users, stakeholders, and the wider public. Keeping in view the rapidly evolving landscape of drone technology and the pressing need for advanced real-time AI-based data processing, we have designed this tutorial to acquaint the audience with the latest tools, methods, and research trends in Edge AI applications for drone technology. As the tutorial delves into advanced methodologies, practical implementations, and real-world applications, participants will concurrently explore the ethical considerations, data privacy concerns, and responsible AI practices crucial for building trustworthy drone AI systems. The tutorial also aims to empower professionals not just with technical expertise but with a holistic understanding of the ethical dimensions associated with the deployment of drone AI technology.

By the end of this tutorial, the audience will be able to:

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Contents

Introduction

Foundations of Aerial Data Acquisition

Computer Vision for Drones

Edge-AI and Drones

Trustworthy AI for Drones

Program

Time Speaker Topics / Modules
9:00 – 9:45 M. Haroon Yousaf Introduction, Foundations of Aerial Data Acquisition, Computer Vision for Drones
09:45 – 10:30 M. Haroon Yousaf, M. Saad Saeed Edge-AI and Drones
10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 12:00 M. Haroon Yousaf, M. Saad Saeed Trustworthy AI for Drones, Experimentation Showcase: Real-world Examples/Demos, Q & A

Organizers

Organizer 1

Prof. Muhammad Haroon Yousaf

Muhammad Haroon Yousaf is working as a Professor/Chairman of Computer Engineering at University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, Pakistan. He has more than 19 years of teaching/research experience. His research interests are Image Processing, Computer Vision, and Robotics. He is also the Director of Swarm Robotics Lab under National Centre of Robotics and Automation Pakistan. He has published more than 100 papers in International SCI-Indexed Journals/Conferences. He has secured many funded (Govt. & Industry) research projects in his areas of interest. Prof. Haroon has received the BEST UNIVERSITY TEACHER AWARD by HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION, PAKISTAN in 2014. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and SPS. He is also serving as Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems on Video Technology (TCSVT). He is also appointed as Professor Extraordinarius at University of South Africa since February 2023. He has also delivered a short course and a tutorial at ICIP 2023. He has presented his research as Keynote/Invited Speakers at many conferences/workshops. Detailed profile is available at https://fms.uettaxila.edu.pk/Profile/haroon.yousaf#.

Organizer 2

Muhammad Saad Saaed

Muhammad Saad Saeed is working as a Research Associate in Swarm Robotics Lab under National Centre of Robotics and Automation Pakistan. He is also working as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in a Computer Vision based startup “BeeMantis”. Saad has more than four years of R&D experience in Deep Learning with applications in Computer Vision, Multimodal Learning, AI-on-the-Edge, Speech, and Audio Processing. He is a Member of IEEE and SPS. He has also delivered a short course at IEEE ICIP 2023.

Contact

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact:

Prof. Muhammad Haroon Yousaf

Email: [email protected] [email protected]