Rapid and High-Fidelity Subsurface Exploration with Multiple Aerial Robots

Planetary exploration has benefited from advancements in robotics through automation of data collection for planetary science and robotic precursor missions for human space exploration [1]. To date, robotic precursor missions have engaged in surface exploration of Mars [2] but have not explored subsurface environments despite the potential geological and astrobiological significance of these domains [3, 4]. As a result, robotic subsurface exploration has been identified as a key technology for future missions to these planets [5]. Autonomous navigation and high-resolution perceptual modeling are critical needs in the context of subsurface planetary exploration [6]. A challenge of operating in subsurface environments is communicating to a surface station. Communication may be limited or impossible due to the inability of radio waves to penetrate rock, impeding data relay to Earth, so compact data transmission is critical. Operating on planets far from Earth introduces additional re-The authors are with the Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA (e-mail: {kgoel1,wtabib,nmichael}@andrew.cmu.edu)