Heterogeneous robot teams with unified perception and autonomy: How Team CSIRO Data61 tied for the top score at the DARPA Subterranean Challenge

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2302.13230
• Publication Date: 2023-01-01
• Authors: Navinda Kottege; Jason Williams; Brendan Tidd; Fletcher Talbot; Ryan Steindl; Mark Cox; Dennis Frousheger; Thomas E. Hines; Alex Pitt; Benjamin Tam; Brett Wood; Lauren Hanson; Katrina Lo Surdo; Thomas Molnar; Matt Wildie; Kazys Stepanas; Gavin Catt; Lachlan Tychsen-S...; Dean Penfold; Leslie Overs; Milad Ramezani; Kasra Khosoussi; Farid Kendoul; Glenn J. Wagner; Duncan Palmer; Jack Manderson; Corey Medek; Matthew O’Brien; Shengkang Chen; Ronald C. Arkin
• Keywords: Visibility; Supervisor; Competitor analysis; Stairs; Search and rescue

The DARPA Subterranean Challenge was designed for competitors to develop and deploy teams of autonomous robots explore difficult unknown underground environments. Categorised in human-made tunnels, urban infrastructure natural caves, each these subdomains had many challenging elements robot perception, locomotion, navigation autonomy. These included degraded wireless communication, poor visibility due smoke, narrow passages doorways, clutter, uneven ground, slippery loose terrain, stairs, ledges, overhangs, dripping water, dynamic obstacles that move block paths among others. In the Final Event this challenge held September 2021, course consisted all three subdomains. task team perform a scavenger hunt number pre-defined artefacts within limited time frame. Only one human supervisor allowed communicate with once they were course. Points scored when accurate detections their locations communicated back scoring server. A total 8 competed finals at Mega Cavern Louisville, KY, USA. This article describes systems deployed by Team CSIRO Data61 tied top score won second place event.