# Vision-Based Autonomous Precision Landing

> A precision-landing system that uses AI to detect a helipad "H" marking and lands the drone exactly on its centre — continuously re-centring during descent so wind/drift cannot throw it off. My first serious international freelance job.

URL: https://furkanisikay.com/projects/goruntu-tabanli-hassas-inis/

- Role: Sole developer (freelance)
- Period: 2024
- Status: My first international freelance job · Upwork/Fiverr
- Tech stack: Python, YOLOv3-tiny, OpenCV (DNN), DroneKit, MAVLink, ROS / Gazebo, ArduPilot SITL

## Overview

A precision-landing system I delivered in ~2-3 days for an international client via Upwork/Fiverr — my first serious paid international freelance job. A downward-facing camera on the drone detects the helipad "H" marking in real time, and the system brings the drone to the exact centre of that marking before touching down.

## The Problem

It had to land on the exact centre of a helipad whose position is not known in advance (variable), despite wind and drift. Landing on a fixed GPS point isn't enough — the target can shift at the moment of touchdown.

## How It Works

I detect the "H" with a custom single-class YOLOv3-tiny model (on OpenCV's DNN module). It picks the largest box (nearest pad), finds its centre and computes the offset from the camera centre. A control loop with a dead-zone threshold issues short body-frame (NED) velocity commands (DroneKit + MAVLink) to close the offset. Once centred enough, it switches to ArduPilot LAND mode; it keeps tracking the "H" throughout the descent, makes corrective manoeuvres if it drifts, and disarms the motors on ground contact.

## Outputs & Status

I delivered an end-to-end system running in Gazebo + ArduPilot SITL that performs the whole takeoff–search–centre–autonomous-landing loop (demo video on the cover). Since the architecture is DroneKit/MAVLink, it ports to a real ArduCopter vehicle.

## To build something like this

- Free discovery call: https://www.softivation.com/book-online
- E-mail: contact@furkanisikay.com
- Phone / WhatsApp: +90 850 242 21 60