Izu-Ohshima field tests for autonomous planetary rover

For evaluating the basic navigation techniques for a planetary rover on a natural terrain, long range navigation experiments had been performed at Mt. Mihara volcano of Izu-Ohshima Island in September of 1996. The experimental rover succeeded in traveling over 800 m autonomously without hitting any obstacle. This paper describes navigation functions installed in the test-bed rover. This paper also presents the results obtained during the first long range navigation test.