Minimum Time Search Path Planning for Multiple Fixed-Wing UAVs with Adaptive Formation

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Aerospace Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

2 Aerospace Dept,Amirkabir Univ. of Technology,Tehran,Iran

3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Planning the flight path for a fleet of fixed-wing UAVs during search and rescue operations poses a significant challenge as it requires minimizing search time and optimizing the formation of the UAVs. This paper proposes a novel integration of a leader-follower formation flight technique for multiple fixed-wing UAVs with a minimum-time search path planning algorithm. In the first step, the proposed algorithm, based on continuous ant colony optimization, plans a sequence of safe and feasible waypoints for the leader while determining appropriate azimuth angles for the followers. In the next step, the algorithm utilizes a nonlinear three-degree-of-freedom model, developed based on a leader-follower formation flight technique, to plan the followers’ flight paths. Applying Dubins curves based on kinematic constraints of the UAVs not only reduces computational time but also ensures the feasibility of the best search paths between planned waypoints. Furthermore, in the presence of static obstacles, a developed function in the planning process addresses collision and obstacle avoidance constraints. The effectiveness and performance of the suggested method in detecting targets in minimum-time search missions and the ability of the planner to reconfigure the formation of the UAVs in cluttered environments are demonstrated through comprehensive simulation studies and Monte Carlo analysis.

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AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 7, Issue 3
September 2023
Pages 6-6

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