A UAV based automated airborne surveillance systemA UAV based automated airborne surveillance system Πλήρης Δημοσίευση σε Συνέδριο Conference Full Paper 2015-10-072003en This paper presents a system architecture for an integrated airborne surveillance system that allows Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to serve as autonomous sensing platforms. The proposed architecture consists of the communications, autonomous navigation and machine vision modules enabling the UAV to move into targeted locations, acquire and evaluate collected data while remaining in contact with the ground control station (GCS). The overall UAV system, although capable of operating fully autonomously, it also retains the option of semi-autonomous operation or even ground monitored teleoperation.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/1-511th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation, Tsourveloudis Nikolaos Τσουρβελουδης Νικολαος Michael P. Kontitsis Kimon P. Valavanis Unmanned Aerial Vehicles