Tailoring 3D Mapping Frameworks for Field Robotics

Frascisco C. Ferreira, Martí Zaera, Panagiotis T. Karfakis, Micael Santos Couceiro

Keywords: Field Robotics, Mapping. RTabMap, OctoMap, ROS, Outdoor environments

Abstract: Mapping is an essential part for the adoption of robots in agricultural and forestry environments. Providing the robot with the ability to map its surroundings, facilitates its navigation and is necessary for implementing obstacle avoidance, without human interference. Herein we present the challenges of outdoor environments, present an overview of existing mapping frameworks and then evaluate their suitability for field applications. Two widely used mapping frameworks, OctoMap and RTAB-Map are analyzed within the Robot Operating System (ROS) ecosystem and a parametric study is carried out in order to assess their performance, under both simulated and real-world constraints. Finally this work aims to be utilized as a deployment reference guide for mobile robotic applications in outdoor environments.