3D through-wall imaging with unmanned aerial vehicles using WiFi

Abstract

In this paper, we are interested in the 3D through-wall imaging of a completely unknown area, using WiFi RSSI and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that move outside of the area of interest to collect WiFi measurements. It is challenging to estimate a volume represented by an extremely high number of voxels with a small number of measurements. Yet many applications are time-critical and/or limited on resources, precluding extensive measurement collection. In this paper, we then propose an approach based on Markov random field modeling, loopy belief propagation, and sparse signal processing for 3D imaging based on wireless power measurements. Furthermore, we show how to design efficient aerial routes that are informative for 3D imaging. Finally, we design and implement a complete experimental testbed and show high-quality 3D robotic through-wall imaging of unknown areas with less than 4% of measurements.