Autonomous Fixed-Wing Drone Landing on Maritime Vessels

Abstract

To improve the effectiveness of maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS) is developing autonomous fixed-wing drones through its Eyes-On-Scene project. While these drones can autonomously launch and loiter over areas of interest, they currently lack automated recovery capabilities. This thesis presents a guidance and navigation framework that enables fixed-wing drones to autonomously land on moving SSRS rescue vessels without requiring modifications to either platform. The system integrates AIS and camera-based tracking through an Extended Kalman Filter to estimate vessel position. A multi-stage landing algorithm is introduced, consisting of follow, descent, and diversion phases, designed to ensure safety under uncertain conditions. The algorithm enables controlled landing velocities and supports flexible approach angles for robust operations. The complete system is tested in a simulated environment under various disturbances, including wind, position, altitude, and speed fluctuations. Simulation results demonstrate high landing accuracy, indicating the feasibility of autonomous landings in realistic SAR scenarios. The results highlight the potential to strengthen SSRS’s autonomous drone capabilities and contribute toward more efficient recovery in future SAR operations.