NLOS-Aware LiDAR–UWB Fusion Localization for UAV Inspection in Converter Valve Halls

To address unavailable global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals, dense metallic equipment, valve-tower occlusion, and the insufficient robustness of single-sensor localization in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspection of converter valve halls, this paper proposes a non-line-of-sight (NLOS)-aware LiDAR-ultra-wideband (UWB) fusion localization method. The method uses LiDAR odometry to provide continuous local motion constraints and UWB ranging to provide global distance constraints. The geometric relationship among the UAV, UWB anchors, and valve-hall obstacles is used to evaluate the NLOS risk of each UWB link, and the equivalent ranging variance is adaptively adjusted before tight fusion optimization. To avoid overextending simulation conclusions, this study focuses on localization-layer modeling and simulation-based validation rather than full energized valve-hall flight deployment. In the grouped-bushing valve-hall scenario, the proposed method achieves an RMSE of 0.30 m, a mean error of 0.29 m, a P95 error of 0.43 m, and a maximum error of 0.48 m, reducing the RMSE by 50.0% compared with ordinary tight LiDAR-UWB fusion. Additional Monte Carlo tests under different trajectories, anchor layouts, anchor installation errors, and obstacle densities further verify the robustness of the proposed weighting mechanism. The results indicate that the method can suppress LiDAR accumulated drift and reduce the influence of UWB NLOS ranging in GNSS-denied metallic indoor environments, while real converter-valve-hall flight tests under energized electromagnetic conditions remain necessary before engineering deployment.