In recent decades,path planning for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)in complex environments,such as harbours and coastlines,has become an important concern.The existing algorithms for real-time path planning for USVs a...In recent decades,path planning for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)in complex environments,such as harbours and coastlines,has become an important concern.The existing algorithms for real-time path planning for USVs are either too slow at replanning or unreliable in changing environments with multiple dynamic obstacles.In this study,we developed a novel path planning method based on the D^(*) lite algorithm for real-time path planning of USVs in complex environments.The proposed method has the following advantages:(1)the computational time for replanning is reduced significantly owing to the use of an incremental algorithm and a new method for modelling dynamic obstacles;(2)a constrained artificial potential field method is employed to enhance the safety of the planned paths;and(3)the method is practical in terms of vehicle performance.The performance of the proposed method was evaluated through simulations and compared with those of existing algorithms.The simulation results confirmed the efficiency of the method for real-time path planning of USVs in complex environments.展开更多
This paper describes path re-planning techniques and underwater obstacle avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle(USV) based on multi-beam forward looking sonar(FLS). Near-optimal paths in static and dynamic environment...This paper describes path re-planning techniques and underwater obstacle avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle(USV) based on multi-beam forward looking sonar(FLS). Near-optimal paths in static and dynamic environments with underwater obstacles are computed using a numerical solution procedure based on an A* algorithm. The USV is modeled with a circular shape in 2 degrees of freedom(surge and yaw). In this paper, two-dimensional(2-D) underwater obstacle avoidance and the robust real-time path re-planning technique for actual USV using multi-beam FLS are developed. Our real-time path re-planning algorithm has been tested to regenerate the optimal path for several updated frames in the field of view of the sonar with a proper update frequency of the FLS. The performance of the proposed method was verified through simulations, and sea experiments. For simulations, the USV model can avoid both a single stationary obstacle, multiple stationary obstacles and moving obstacles with the near-optimal trajectory that are performed both in the vehicle and the world reference frame. For sea experiments, the proposed method for an underwater obstacle avoidance system is implemented with a USV test platform. The actual USV is automatically controlled and succeeded in its real-time avoidance against the stationary undersea obstacle in the field of view of the FLS together with the Global Positioning System(GPS) of the USV.展开更多
Unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)paths in the field directly affect the efficiency and accuracy of payload data collection.Path planning of UAV advancing along river valleys in wild environments is one of the first and mos...Unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)paths in the field directly affect the efficiency and accuracy of payload data collection.Path planning of UAV advancing along river valleys in wild environments is one of the first and most difficult problems faced by unmanned surveys of debris flow valleys.This study proposes a new hybrid bat optimization algorithm,GRE-Bat(Good point set,Reverse learning,Elite Pool-Bat algorithm),for unmanned exploration path planning of debris flow sources in outdoor environments.In the GRE-Bat algorithm,the good point set strategy is adopted to evenly distribute the population,ensure sufficient coverage of the search space,and improve the stability of the convergence accuracy of the algorithm.Subsequently,a reverse learning strategy is introduced to increase the diversity of the population and improve the local stagnation problem of the algorithm.In addition,an Elite pool strategy is added to balance the replacement and learning behaviors of particles within the population based on elimination and local perturbation factors.To demonstrate the effectiveness of the GRE-Bat algorithm,we conducted multiple simulation experiments using benchmark test functions and digital terrain models.Compared to commonly used path planning algorithms such as the Bat Algorithm(BA)and the Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm(ISSA),the GRE-Bat algorithm can converge to the optimal value in different types of test functions and obtains a near-optimal solution after an average of 60 iterations.The GRE-Bat algorithm can obtain higher quality flight routes in the designated environment of unmanned investigation in the debris flow gully basin,demonstrating its potential for practical application.展开更多
A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirement...A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirements of complex maritime environments.Global planning alone cannot effectively handle dynamic obstacles,while local planning alone may fall into local optima.To address these issues,this paper proposes a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance path planning method that integrates an improved A^(*)algorithm with the dynamic window approach(DWA).The traditional A^(*)algorithm often generates paths that are too close to obstacle boundaries and contain excessive turning points,whereas the traditional DWA tends to skirt densely clustered obstacles,resulting in longer routes and insufficient dynamic obstacle avoidance.To overcome these limitations,improved versions of both algorithms are developed.Key points extracted from the optimized A^(*)path are used as intermediate start-destination pairs for the improved DWA,and the weights of the DWA evaluation function are adjusted to achieve effective fusion.Furthermore,a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance strategy is designed for complex navigation scenarios.Simulation results demonstrate that the USV can adaptively switch between dynamic obstacle avoidance and path tracking based on obstacle distribution,validating the effectiveness of the proposed method.展开更多
In disaster relief operations,multiple UAVs can be used to search for trapped people.In recent years,many researchers have proposed machine le arning-based algorithms,sampling-based algorithms,and heuristic algorithms...In disaster relief operations,multiple UAVs can be used to search for trapped people.In recent years,many researchers have proposed machine le arning-based algorithms,sampling-based algorithms,and heuristic algorithms to solve the problem of multi-UAV path planning.The Dung Beetle Optimization(DBO)algorithm has been widely applied due to its diverse search patterns in the above algorithms.However,the update strategies for the rolling and thieving dung beetles of the DBO algorithm are overly simplistic,potentially leading to an inability to fully explore the search space and a tendency to converge to local optima,thereby not guaranteeing the discovery of the optimal path.To address these issues,we propose an improved DBO algorithm guided by the Landmark Operator(LODBO).Specifically,we first use tent mapping to update the population strategy,which enables the algorithm to generate initial solutions with enhanced diversity within the search space.Second,we expand the search range of the rolling ball dung beetle by using the landmark factor.Finally,by using the adaptive factor that changes with the number of iterations.,we improve the global search ability of the stealing dung beetle,making it more likely to escape from local optima.To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method,extensive simulation experiments are conducted,and the result shows that the LODBO algorithm can obtain the optimal path using the shortest time compared with the Genetic Algorithm(GA),the Gray Wolf Optimizer(GWO),the Whale Optimization Algorithm(WOA)and the original DBO algorithm in the disaster search and rescue task set.展开更多
In the current era of intelligent technologies,comprehensive and precise regional coverage path planning is critical for tasks such as environmental monitoring,emergency rescue,and agricultural plant protection.Owing ...In the current era of intelligent technologies,comprehensive and precise regional coverage path planning is critical for tasks such as environmental monitoring,emergency rescue,and agricultural plant protection.Owing to their exceptional flexibility and rapid deployment capabilities,unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have emerged as the ideal platforms for accomplishing these tasks.This study proposes a swarm A^(*)-guided Deep Q-Network(SADQN)algorithm to address the coverage path planning(CPP)problem for UAV swarms in complex environments.Firstly,to overcome the dependency of traditional modeling methods on regular terrain environments,this study proposes an improved cellular decomposition method for map discretization.Simultaneously,a distributed UAV swarm system architecture is adopted,which,through the integration of multi-scale maps,addresses the issues of redundant operations and flight conflicts inmulti-UAV cooperative coverage.Secondly,the heuristic mechanism of the A^(*)algorithmis combinedwith full-coverage path planning,and this approach is incorporated at the initial stage ofDeep Q-Network(DQN)algorithm training to provide effective guidance in action selection,thereby accelerating convergence.Additionally,a prioritized experience replay mechanism is introduced to further enhance the coverage performance of the algorithm.To evaluate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm,simulation experiments were conducted in several irregular environments and compared with several popular algorithms.Simulation results show that the SADQNalgorithmoutperforms othermethods,achieving performance comparable to that of the baseline prior algorithm,with an average coverage efficiency exceeding 2.6 and fewer turning maneuvers.In addition,the algorithm demonstrates excellent generalization ability,enabling it to adapt to different environments.展开更多
The traditional A^(*)algorithm exhibits a low efficiency in the path planning of unmanned surface vehicles(USVs).In addition,the path planned presents numerous redundant inflection waypoints,and the security is low,wh...The traditional A^(*)algorithm exhibits a low efficiency in the path planning of unmanned surface vehicles(USVs).In addition,the path planned presents numerous redundant inflection waypoints,and the security is low,which is not conducive to the control of USV and also affects navigation safety.In this paper,these problems were addressed through the following improvements.First,the path search angle and security were comprehensively considered,and a security expansion strategy of nodes based on the 5×5 neighborhood was proposed.The A^(*)algorithm search neighborhood was expanded from 3×3 to 5×5,and safe nodes were screened out for extension via the node security expansion strategy.This algorithm can also optimize path search angles while improving path security.Second,the distance from the current node to the target node was introduced into the heuristic function.The efficiency of the A^(*)algorithm was improved,and the path was smoothed using the Floyd algorithm.For the dynamic adjustment of the weight to improve the efficiency of DWA,the distance from the USV to the target point was introduced into the evaluation function of the dynamic-window approach(DWA)algorithm.Finally,combined with the local target point selection strategy,the optimized DWA algorithm was performed for local path planning.The experimental results show the smooth and safe path planned by the fusion algorithm,which can successfully avoid dynamic obstacles and is effective and feasible in path planning for USVs.展开更多
For autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)flying in real-world scenarios,time for path planning is always limited,which is a challenge known as the anytime problem.Anytime planners address this by finding a collisi...For autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)flying in real-world scenarios,time for path planning is always limited,which is a challenge known as the anytime problem.Anytime planners address this by finding a collision-free path quickly and then improving it until time runs out,making UAVs more adaptable to different mission scenarios.However,current anytime algorithms based on A^(*)have insufficient control over the suboptimality bounds of paths and tend to lose their anytime properties in environments with large concave obstacles.This paper proposes a novel anytime path planning algorithm,Anytime Radiation A^(*)(ARa A^(*)),which can generate a series of suboptimal paths with improved bounds through decreasing search step sizes and can generate the optimal path when time is sufficient.The ARa A^(*)features two main innovations:an adaptive variable-step-size mechanism and elliptic constraints based on waypoints.The former helps achieve fast path searching in various environments.The latter allows ARa A^(*)to control the suboptimality bounds of paths and further enhance search efficiency.Simulation experiments show that the ARa A^(*)outperforms Anytime Repairing A^(*)(ARA^(*))and Anytime D^(*)(AD^(*))in controlling suboptimality bounds and planning time,especially in environments with large concave obstacles.Final flight experiments demonstrate that the paths planned by ARa A^(*)can ensure the safe flight of quadrotors.展开更多
Path planning for recovery is studied on the engineering background of double unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)towing oil booms for oil spill recovery.Given the influence of obstacles on the sea,the improved artificial ...Path planning for recovery is studied on the engineering background of double unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)towing oil booms for oil spill recovery.Given the influence of obstacles on the sea,the improved artificial potential field(APF)method is used for path planning.For addressing the two problems of unreachable target and local minimum in the APF,three improved algorithms are proposed by combining the motion performance constraints of the double USV system.These algorithms are then combined as the final APF-123 algorithm for oil spill recovery.Multiple sets of simulation tests are designed according to the flaws of the APF and the process of oil spill recovery.Results show that the proposed algorithms can ensure the system’s safety in tracking oil spills in a complex environment,and the speed is increased by more than 40%compared with the APF method.展开更多
A fusion chemical reaction optimization algorithm based on random molecules(RMCRO) is proposed to meet the special demand of power transmission line inspection. This new algorithm improves the shortcomings of chemical...A fusion chemical reaction optimization algorithm based on random molecules(RMCRO) is proposed to meet the special demand of power transmission line inspection. This new algorithm improves the shortcomings of chemical reaction algorithm by merging the idea of repellent-attractant rule and accelerates convergence by using difference algorithm. The molecules in this algorithm avoid obstacles and search optimal path of transmission line inspection by using sensors on multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV). The option of optimal path is based on potential energy of molecules and cost function without repeated parameter adjustment and complicated computation. By compared with an improved particle swarm optimization(IMPSO) in different circumstances of simulation, it can be concluded that the new algorithm presented not only can obtain more optimal path and avoid to trap in local minimum, but also can keep related sensors in a more stable status.展开更多
This paper investigates the path planning method of unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)in threedimensional map.Firstly,in order to keep a safe distance between UAV and obstacles,the obstacle grid in the map is expanded.By us...This paper investigates the path planning method of unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)in threedimensional map.Firstly,in order to keep a safe distance between UAV and obstacles,the obstacle grid in the map is expanded.By using the data structure of octree,the octree map is constructed,and the search nodes is significantly reduced.Then,the lazy theta*algorithm,including neighbor node search,line-of-sight algorithm and heuristics weight adjustment is improved.In the process of node search,UAV constraint conditions are considered to ensure the planned path is actually flyable.The redundant nodes are reduced by the line-of-sight algorithm through judging whether visible between two nodes.Heuristic weight adjustment strategy is employed to control the precision and speed of search.Finally,the simulation results show that the improved lazy theta*algorithm is suitable for path planning of UAV in complex environment with multi-constraints.The effectiveness and flight ability of the algorithm are verified by comparing experiments and real flight.展开更多
With the advancement of technology,the collaboration of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(multi-UAVs)is a general trend,both in military and civilian domains.Path planning is a crucial step for multi-UAV mission execu...With the advancement of technology,the collaboration of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(multi-UAVs)is a general trend,both in military and civilian domains.Path planning is a crucial step for multi-UAV mission execution,it is a nonlinear problem with constraints.Traditional optimization algorithms have difficulty in finding the optimal solution that minimizes the cost function under various constraints.At the same time,robustness should be taken into account to ensure the reliable and safe operation of the UAVs.In this paper,a self-adaptive sparrow search algorithm(SSA),denoted as DRSSA,is presented.During optimization,a dynamic population strategy is used to allocate the searching effort between exploration and exploitation;a t-distribution perturbation coefficient is proposed to adaptively adjust the exploration range;a random learning strategy is used to help the algorithm from falling into the vicinity of the origin and local optimums.The convergence of DRSSA is tested by 29 test functions from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE)Congress on Evolutionary Computation(CEC)2017 benchmark suite.Furthermore,a stochastic optimization strategy is introduced to enhance safety in the path by accounting for potential perturbations.Two sets of simulation experiments on multi-UAV path planning in three-dimensional environments demonstrate that the algorithm exhibits strong optimization capabilities and robustness in dealing with uncertain situations.展开更多
Collaborative coverage path planning(CCPP) refers to obtaining the shortest paths passing over all places except obstacles in a certain area or space. A multi-unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) collaborative CCPP algorithm ...Collaborative coverage path planning(CCPP) refers to obtaining the shortest paths passing over all places except obstacles in a certain area or space. A multi-unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) collaborative CCPP algorithm is proposed for the urban rescue search or military search in outdoor environment.Due to flexible control of small UAVs, it can be considered that all UAVs fly at the same altitude, that is, they perform search tasks on a two-dimensional plane. Based on the agents’ motion characteristics and environmental information, a mathematical model of CCPP problem is established. The minimum time for UAVs to complete the CCPP is the objective function, and complete coverage constraint, no-fly constraint, collision avoidance constraint, and communication constraint are considered. Four motion strategies and two communication strategies are designed. Then a distributed CCPP algorithm is designed based on hybrid strategies. Simulation results compared with patternbased genetic algorithm(PBGA) and random search method show that the proposed method has stronger real-time performance and better scalability and can complete the complete CCPP task more efficiently and stably.展开更多
In view of the complex marine environment of navigation,especially in the case of multiple static and dynamic obstacles,the traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms applied to unmanned surface vehicles(USV)are prone ...In view of the complex marine environment of navigation,especially in the case of multiple static and dynamic obstacles,the traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms applied to unmanned surface vehicles(USV)are prone to fall into the trap of local optimization.Therefore,this paper proposes an improved artificial potential field(APF)algorithm,which uses 5G communication technology to communicate between the USV and the control center.The algorithm introduces the USV discrimination mechanism to avoid the USV falling into local optimization when the USV encounter different obstacles in different scenarios.Considering the various scenarios between the USV and other dynamic obstacles such as vessels in the process of performing tasks,the algorithm introduces the concept of dynamic artificial potential field.For the multiple obstacles encountered in the process of USV sailing,based on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea(COLREGS),the USV determines whether the next step will fall into local optimization through the discriminationmechanism.The local potential field of the USV will dynamically adjust,and the reverse virtual gravitational potential field will be added to prevent it from falling into the local optimization and avoid collisions.The objective function and cost function are designed at the same time,so that the USV can smoothly switch between the global path and the local obstacle avoidance.The simulation results show that the improved APF algorithm proposed in this paper can successfully avoid various obstacles in the complex marine environment,and take navigation time and economic cost into account.展开更多
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)or drones introduced for military applications are gaining popularity in several other fields as well such as security and surveillance,due to their ability to perform repetitive and tedi...Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)or drones introduced for military applications are gaining popularity in several other fields as well such as security and surveillance,due to their ability to perform repetitive and tedious tasks in hazardous environments.Their increased demand created the requirement for enabling the UAVs to traverse independently through the Three Dimensional(3D)flight environment consisting of various obstacles which have been efficiently addressed by metaheuristics in past literature.However,not a single optimization algorithms can solve all kind of optimization problem effectively.Therefore,there is dire need to integrate metaheuristic for general acceptability.To address this issue,in this paper,a novel reinforcement learning controlled Grey Wolf Optimisation-Archimedes Optimisation Algorithm(QGA)has been exhaustively introduced and exhaustively validated firstly on 22 benchmark functions and then,utilized to obtain the optimum flyable path without collision for UAVs in three dimensional environment.The performance of the developed QGA has been compared against the various metaheuristics.The simulation experimental results reveal that the QGA algorithm acquire a feasible and effective flyable path more efficiently in complicated environment.展开更多
The idea of dispatching multiple unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to undertake marine missions has ignited a burgeoning enthusiasm on a global scale.Embarking on a quest to facilitate inland water monitoring,this paper ...The idea of dispatching multiple unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to undertake marine missions has ignited a burgeoning enthusiasm on a global scale.Embarking on a quest to facilitate inland water monitoring,this paper presents a systematical approach concerning global path planning and path following for heterogeneous USVs.Specifically,by capturing the heterogeneous nature,an extended multiple travelling salesman problem(EMTSP)model,which seamlessly bridges the gap between various disparate constraints and optimization objectives,is formulated for the first time.Then,a novel Greedy Partheno Genetic Algorithm(GPGA)is devised to consistently address the problem from two aspects:(1)Incorporating the greedy randomized initialization and local exploration strategy,GPGA merits strong global and local searching ability,providing high-quality solutions for EMTSP.(2)A novel mutation strategy which not only inherits all advantages of PGA but also maintains the best individual in the offspring is devised,contributing to the local escaping efficiently.Finally,to track the waypoint permutations generated by GPGA,control input is generated by the nonlinear model predictive controller(NMPC),ensuring the USV corresponds with the reference path and smoothen the motion under constrained dynamics.Simulations and comparisons in various scenarios demonstrated the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed scheme.展开更多
Purpose–Since many global path planning algorithms cannot achieve the planned path with both safety and economy,this study aims to propose a path planning method for unmanned vehicles with a controllable distance fro...Purpose–Since many global path planning algorithms cannot achieve the planned path with both safety and economy,this study aims to propose a path planning method for unmanned vehicles with a controllable distance from obstacles.Design/methodology/approach–First,combining satellite image and the Voronoi field algorithm(VFA)generates rasterized environmental information and establishes navigation area boundary.Second,establishing a hazard function associated with navigation area boundary improves the evaluation function of the A*algorithm and uses the improved A*algorithm for global path planning.Finally,to reduce the number of redundant nodes in the planned path and smooth the path,node optimization and gradient descent method(GDM)are used.Then,a continuous smooth path that meets the actual navigation requirements of unmanned vehicle is obtained.Findings–The simulation experiment proved that the proposed global path planning method can realize the control of the distance between the planned path and the obstacle by setting different navigation area boundaries.The node reduction rate is between 33.52%and 73.15%,and the smoothness meets the navigation requirements.This method is reasonable and effective in the global path planning process of unmanned vehicle and can provide reference to unmanned vehicles’autonomous obstacle avoidance decision-making.Originality/value–This study establishes navigation area boundary for the environment based on the VFA and uses the improved Aalgorithm to generate a navigation path that takes into account both safety and economy.This study also proposes a method to solve the redundancy of grid environment path nodes and large-angle steering and to smooth the path to improve the applicability of the proposed global path planning method.The proposed global path planning method solves the requirements of path safety and smoothness.展开更多
With the increasing complexity of substation inspection tasks,achieving efficient and safe path planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in densely populated and structurally complex three-dimensional(3D)environments rem...With the increasing complexity of substation inspection tasks,achieving efficient and safe path planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in densely populated and structurally complex three-dimensional(3D)environments remains a critical challenge.To address this problem,this paper proposes an improved path planning algorithm—Random Geometric Graph(RGG)-guided Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(R-RRT)—based on the classical Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(RRT)framework.First,a refined 3D occupancy grid map is constructed from Light Detection and Ranging point cloud data through ground filtering,noise removal,coordinate transformation,and obstacle inflation using spherical structuring elements.During the planning stage,a dynamic goal-biasing strategy is introduced to adaptively adjust the sampling direction,the sampling distribution is optimized using a pre-generated RGG,and collision detection is accelerated via a K-Dimensional Tree structure.After initial trajectory generation,redundant nodes are eliminated via greedy pruning,and a curvature-minimizing gradient-based optimizationmethod is applied to smooth the trajectory.Experimental results conducted in a simulated substation environment demonstrate that,compared with mainstream path planning algorithms,the proposed R-RRT achieves superior performance in terms of path length,planning time,and trajectory smoothness.Comprehensive analysis shows that the proposed method significantly enhances trajectory quality,planning efficiency,and operational safety,validating its applicability and advantages for high-precision 3D path planning in complex substation inspection scenarios.展开更多
基金financially supported by the Cultivation of Scientific Research Ability of Young Talents of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(Grant No.19X100040072)the Key Laboratory of Marine Intelligent Equipment and System of Ministry of Education(Grant No.MIES-2020-07)。
文摘In recent decades,path planning for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)in complex environments,such as harbours and coastlines,has become an important concern.The existing algorithms for real-time path planning for USVs are either too slow at replanning or unreliable in changing environments with multiple dynamic obstacles.In this study,we developed a novel path planning method based on the D^(*) lite algorithm for real-time path planning of USVs in complex environments.The proposed method has the following advantages:(1)the computational time for replanning is reduced significantly owing to the use of an incremental algorithm and a new method for modelling dynamic obstacles;(2)a constrained artificial potential field method is employed to enhance the safety of the planned paths;and(3)the method is practical in terms of vehicle performance.The performance of the proposed method was evaluated through simulations and compared with those of existing algorithms.The simulation results confirmed the efficiency of the method for real-time path planning of USVs in complex environments.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand
文摘This paper describes path re-planning techniques and underwater obstacle avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle(USV) based on multi-beam forward looking sonar(FLS). Near-optimal paths in static and dynamic environments with underwater obstacles are computed using a numerical solution procedure based on an A* algorithm. The USV is modeled with a circular shape in 2 degrees of freedom(surge and yaw). In this paper, two-dimensional(2-D) underwater obstacle avoidance and the robust real-time path re-planning technique for actual USV using multi-beam FLS are developed. Our real-time path re-planning algorithm has been tested to regenerate the optimal path for several updated frames in the field of view of the sonar with a proper update frequency of the FLS. The performance of the proposed method was verified through simulations, and sea experiments. For simulations, the USV model can avoid both a single stationary obstacle, multiple stationary obstacles and moving obstacles with the near-optimal trajectory that are performed both in the vehicle and the world reference frame. For sea experiments, the proposed method for an underwater obstacle avoidance system is implemented with a USV test platform. The actual USV is automatically controlled and succeeded in its real-time avoidance against the stationary undersea obstacle in the field of view of the FLS together with the Global Positioning System(GPS) of the USV.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42302336)Project of the Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province(No.2024YFHZ0098,No.2023NSFSC0751)Open Project of Chengdu University of Information Technology(KYQN202317,760115027,KYTZ202278,KYTZ202280).
文摘Unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)paths in the field directly affect the efficiency and accuracy of payload data collection.Path planning of UAV advancing along river valleys in wild environments is one of the first and most difficult problems faced by unmanned surveys of debris flow valleys.This study proposes a new hybrid bat optimization algorithm,GRE-Bat(Good point set,Reverse learning,Elite Pool-Bat algorithm),for unmanned exploration path planning of debris flow sources in outdoor environments.In the GRE-Bat algorithm,the good point set strategy is adopted to evenly distribute the population,ensure sufficient coverage of the search space,and improve the stability of the convergence accuracy of the algorithm.Subsequently,a reverse learning strategy is introduced to increase the diversity of the population and improve the local stagnation problem of the algorithm.In addition,an Elite pool strategy is added to balance the replacement and learning behaviors of particles within the population based on elimination and local perturbation factors.To demonstrate the effectiveness of the GRE-Bat algorithm,we conducted multiple simulation experiments using benchmark test functions and digital terrain models.Compared to commonly used path planning algorithms such as the Bat Algorithm(BA)and the Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm(ISSA),the GRE-Bat algorithm can converge to the optimal value in different types of test functions and obtains a near-optimal solution after an average of 60 iterations.The GRE-Bat algorithm can obtain higher quality flight routes in the designated environment of unmanned investigation in the debris flow gully basin,demonstrating its potential for practical application.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(62203299,62373246,62388101)the Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Deep-Sea Manned Vehicles(2024SKLDMV04)+1 种基金the Oceanic Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SL2023MS007)the Startup Fund for Young Faculty at SJTU(24X010502929)。
文摘A safe and reliable path planning algorithm is fundamental for unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to perform autonomous navigation tasks.However,a single global or local planning strategy cannot fully meet the requirements of complex maritime environments.Global planning alone cannot effectively handle dynamic obstacles,while local planning alone may fall into local optima.To address these issues,this paper proposes a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance path planning method that integrates an improved A^(*)algorithm with the dynamic window approach(DWA).The traditional A^(*)algorithm often generates paths that are too close to obstacle boundaries and contain excessive turning points,whereas the traditional DWA tends to skirt densely clustered obstacles,resulting in longer routes and insufficient dynamic obstacle avoidance.To overcome these limitations,improved versions of both algorithms are developed.Key points extracted from the optimized A^(*)path are used as intermediate start-destination pairs for the improved DWA,and the weights of the DWA evaluation function are adjusted to achieve effective fusion.Furthermore,a multi-dynamic-obstacle avoidance strategy is designed for complex navigation scenarios.Simulation results demonstrate that the USV can adaptively switch between dynamic obstacle avoidance and path tracking based on obstacle distribution,validating the effectiveness of the proposed method.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62373027).
文摘In disaster relief operations,multiple UAVs can be used to search for trapped people.In recent years,many researchers have proposed machine le arning-based algorithms,sampling-based algorithms,and heuristic algorithms to solve the problem of multi-UAV path planning.The Dung Beetle Optimization(DBO)algorithm has been widely applied due to its diverse search patterns in the above algorithms.However,the update strategies for the rolling and thieving dung beetles of the DBO algorithm are overly simplistic,potentially leading to an inability to fully explore the search space and a tendency to converge to local optima,thereby not guaranteeing the discovery of the optimal path.To address these issues,we propose an improved DBO algorithm guided by the Landmark Operator(LODBO).Specifically,we first use tent mapping to update the population strategy,which enables the algorithm to generate initial solutions with enhanced diversity within the search space.Second,we expand the search range of the rolling ball dung beetle by using the landmark factor.Finally,by using the adaptive factor that changes with the number of iterations.,we improve the global search ability of the stealing dung beetle,making it more likely to escape from local optima.To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method,extensive simulation experiments are conducted,and the result shows that the LODBO algorithm can obtain the optimal path using the shortest time compared with the Genetic Algorithm(GA),the Gray Wolf Optimizer(GWO),the Whale Optimization Algorithm(WOA)and the original DBO algorithm in the disaster search and rescue task set.
文摘In the current era of intelligent technologies,comprehensive and precise regional coverage path planning is critical for tasks such as environmental monitoring,emergency rescue,and agricultural plant protection.Owing to their exceptional flexibility and rapid deployment capabilities,unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have emerged as the ideal platforms for accomplishing these tasks.This study proposes a swarm A^(*)-guided Deep Q-Network(SADQN)algorithm to address the coverage path planning(CPP)problem for UAV swarms in complex environments.Firstly,to overcome the dependency of traditional modeling methods on regular terrain environments,this study proposes an improved cellular decomposition method for map discretization.Simultaneously,a distributed UAV swarm system architecture is adopted,which,through the integration of multi-scale maps,addresses the issues of redundant operations and flight conflicts inmulti-UAV cooperative coverage.Secondly,the heuristic mechanism of the A^(*)algorithmis combinedwith full-coverage path planning,and this approach is incorporated at the initial stage ofDeep Q-Network(DQN)algorithm training to provide effective guidance in action selection,thereby accelerating convergence.Additionally,a prioritized experience replay mechanism is introduced to further enhance the coverage performance of the algorithm.To evaluate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm,simulation experiments were conducted in several irregular environments and compared with several popular algorithms.Simulation results show that the SADQNalgorithmoutperforms othermethods,achieving performance comparable to that of the baseline prior algorithm,with an average coverage efficiency exceeding 2.6 and fewer turning maneuvers.In addition,the algorithm demonstrates excellent generalization ability,enabling it to adapt to different environments.
基金Supported by the EDD of China(No.80912020104)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(No.22ZR1427700 and No.23692106900).
文摘The traditional A^(*)algorithm exhibits a low efficiency in the path planning of unmanned surface vehicles(USVs).In addition,the path planned presents numerous redundant inflection waypoints,and the security is low,which is not conducive to the control of USV and also affects navigation safety.In this paper,these problems were addressed through the following improvements.First,the path search angle and security were comprehensively considered,and a security expansion strategy of nodes based on the 5×5 neighborhood was proposed.The A^(*)algorithm search neighborhood was expanded from 3×3 to 5×5,and safe nodes were screened out for extension via the node security expansion strategy.This algorithm can also optimize path search angles while improving path security.Second,the distance from the current node to the target node was introduced into the heuristic function.The efficiency of the A^(*)algorithm was improved,and the path was smoothed using the Floyd algorithm.For the dynamic adjustment of the weight to improve the efficiency of DWA,the distance from the USV to the target point was introduced into the evaluation function of the dynamic-window approach(DWA)algorithm.Finally,combined with the local target point selection strategy,the optimized DWA algorithm was performed for local path planning.The experimental results show the smooth and safe path planned by the fusion algorithm,which can successfully avoid dynamic obstacles and is effective and feasible in path planning for USVs.
基金the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52272382)the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China(No.20200017051001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China。
文摘For autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)flying in real-world scenarios,time for path planning is always limited,which is a challenge known as the anytime problem.Anytime planners address this by finding a collision-free path quickly and then improving it until time runs out,making UAVs more adaptable to different mission scenarios.However,current anytime algorithms based on A^(*)have insufficient control over the suboptimality bounds of paths and tend to lose their anytime properties in environments with large concave obstacles.This paper proposes a novel anytime path planning algorithm,Anytime Radiation A^(*)(ARa A^(*)),which can generate a series of suboptimal paths with improved bounds through decreasing search step sizes and can generate the optimal path when time is sufficient.The ARa A^(*)features two main innovations:an adaptive variable-step-size mechanism and elliptic constraints based on waypoints.The former helps achieve fast path searching in various environments.The latter allows ARa A^(*)to control the suboptimality bounds of paths and further enhance search efficiency.Simulation experiments show that the ARa A^(*)outperforms Anytime Repairing A^(*)(ARA^(*))and Anytime D^(*)(AD^(*))in controlling suboptimality bounds and planning time,especially in environments with large concave obstacles.Final flight experiments demonstrate that the paths planned by ARa A^(*)can ensure the safe flight of quadrotors.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52071097)Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 522MS162)Research Fund from Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory (Grant No. 2021JCJQ-SYSJJ-LB06910)。
文摘Path planning for recovery is studied on the engineering background of double unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)towing oil booms for oil spill recovery.Given the influence of obstacles on the sea,the improved artificial potential field(APF)method is used for path planning.For addressing the two problems of unreachable target and local minimum in the APF,three improved algorithms are proposed by combining the motion performance constraints of the double USV system.These algorithms are then combined as the final APF-123 algorithm for oil spill recovery.Multiple sets of simulation tests are designed according to the flaws of the APF and the process of oil spill recovery.Results show that the proposed algorithms can ensure the system’s safety in tracking oil spills in a complex environment,and the speed is increased by more than 40%compared with the APF method.
基金the Fund of the Aeronautics Science(No.20162852031)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.61473144)
文摘A fusion chemical reaction optimization algorithm based on random molecules(RMCRO) is proposed to meet the special demand of power transmission line inspection. This new algorithm improves the shortcomings of chemical reaction algorithm by merging the idea of repellent-attractant rule and accelerates convergence by using difference algorithm. The molecules in this algorithm avoid obstacles and search optimal path of transmission line inspection by using sensors on multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV). The option of optimal path is based on potential energy of molecules and cost function without repeated parameter adjustment and complicated computation. By compared with an improved particle swarm optimization(IMPSO) in different circumstances of simulation, it can be concluded that the new algorithm presented not only can obtain more optimal path and avoid to trap in local minimum, but also can keep related sensors in a more stable status.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant U2013201in part by the Key R & D projects (Social Development) in Jiangsu Province of China under Grant BE2020704
文摘This paper investigates the path planning method of unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)in threedimensional map.Firstly,in order to keep a safe distance between UAV and obstacles,the obstacle grid in the map is expanded.By using the data structure of octree,the octree map is constructed,and the search nodes is significantly reduced.Then,the lazy theta*algorithm,including neighbor node search,line-of-sight algorithm and heuristics weight adjustment is improved.In the process of node search,UAV constraint conditions are considered to ensure the planned path is actually flyable.The redundant nodes are reduced by the line-of-sight algorithm through judging whether visible between two nodes.Heuristic weight adjustment strategy is employed to control the precision and speed of search.Finally,the simulation results show that the improved lazy theta*algorithm is suitable for path planning of UAV in complex environment with multi-constraints.The effectiveness and flight ability of the algorithm are verified by comparing experiments and real flight.
基金Foundation items:National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62303108)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(No.CUSF-DH-T-2023065)。
文摘With the advancement of technology,the collaboration of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(multi-UAVs)is a general trend,both in military and civilian domains.Path planning is a crucial step for multi-UAV mission execution,it is a nonlinear problem with constraints.Traditional optimization algorithms have difficulty in finding the optimal solution that minimizes the cost function under various constraints.At the same time,robustness should be taken into account to ensure the reliable and safe operation of the UAVs.In this paper,a self-adaptive sparrow search algorithm(SSA),denoted as DRSSA,is presented.During optimization,a dynamic population strategy is used to allocate the searching effort between exploration and exploitation;a t-distribution perturbation coefficient is proposed to adaptively adjust the exploration range;a random learning strategy is used to help the algorithm from falling into the vicinity of the origin and local optimums.The convergence of DRSSA is tested by 29 test functions from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE)Congress on Evolutionary Computation(CEC)2017 benchmark suite.Furthermore,a stochastic optimization strategy is introduced to enhance safety in the path by accounting for potential perturbations.Two sets of simulation experiments on multi-UAV path planning in three-dimensional environments demonstrate that the algorithm exhibits strong optimization capabilities and robustness in dealing with uncertain situations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61903036, 61822304)Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (2021SHZDZX0100)。
文摘Collaborative coverage path planning(CCPP) refers to obtaining the shortest paths passing over all places except obstacles in a certain area or space. A multi-unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) collaborative CCPP algorithm is proposed for the urban rescue search or military search in outdoor environment.Due to flexible control of small UAVs, it can be considered that all UAVs fly at the same altitude, that is, they perform search tasks on a two-dimensional plane. Based on the agents’ motion characteristics and environmental information, a mathematical model of CCPP problem is established. The minimum time for UAVs to complete the CCPP is the objective function, and complete coverage constraint, no-fly constraint, collision avoidance constraint, and communication constraint are considered. Four motion strategies and two communication strategies are designed. Then a distributed CCPP algorithm is designed based on hybrid strategies. Simulation results compared with patternbased genetic algorithm(PBGA) and random search method show that the proposed method has stronger real-time performance and better scalability and can complete the complete CCPP task more efficiently and stably.
基金This work was supported by the Postdoctoral Fund of FDCT,Macao(Grant No.0003/2021/APD).Any opinions,findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.
文摘In view of the complex marine environment of navigation,especially in the case of multiple static and dynamic obstacles,the traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms applied to unmanned surface vehicles(USV)are prone to fall into the trap of local optimization.Therefore,this paper proposes an improved artificial potential field(APF)algorithm,which uses 5G communication technology to communicate between the USV and the control center.The algorithm introduces the USV discrimination mechanism to avoid the USV falling into local optimization when the USV encounter different obstacles in different scenarios.Considering the various scenarios between the USV and other dynamic obstacles such as vessels in the process of performing tasks,the algorithm introduces the concept of dynamic artificial potential field.For the multiple obstacles encountered in the process of USV sailing,based on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea(COLREGS),the USV determines whether the next step will fall into local optimization through the discriminationmechanism.The local potential field of the USV will dynamically adjust,and the reverse virtual gravitational potential field will be added to prevent it from falling into the local optimization and avoid collisions.The objective function and cost function are designed at the same time,so that the USV can smoothly switch between the global path and the local obstacle avoidance.The simulation results show that the improved APF algorithm proposed in this paper can successfully avoid various obstacles in the complex marine environment,and take navigation time and economic cost into account.
基金funded by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number(PNURSP2022R66),Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)or drones introduced for military applications are gaining popularity in several other fields as well such as security and surveillance,due to their ability to perform repetitive and tedious tasks in hazardous environments.Their increased demand created the requirement for enabling the UAVs to traverse independently through the Three Dimensional(3D)flight environment consisting of various obstacles which have been efficiently addressed by metaheuristics in past literature.However,not a single optimization algorithms can solve all kind of optimization problem effectively.Therefore,there is dire need to integrate metaheuristic for general acceptability.To address this issue,in this paper,a novel reinforcement learning controlled Grey Wolf Optimisation-Archimedes Optimisation Algorithm(QGA)has been exhaustively introduced and exhaustively validated firstly on 22 benchmark functions and then,utilized to obtain the optimum flyable path without collision for UAVs in three dimensional environment.The performance of the developed QGA has been compared against the various metaheuristics.The simulation experimental results reveal that the QGA algorithm acquire a feasible and effective flyable path more efficiently in complicated environment.
基金supported by the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Zhejiang University.
文摘The idea of dispatching multiple unmanned surface vehicles(USVs)to undertake marine missions has ignited a burgeoning enthusiasm on a global scale.Embarking on a quest to facilitate inland water monitoring,this paper presents a systematical approach concerning global path planning and path following for heterogeneous USVs.Specifically,by capturing the heterogeneous nature,an extended multiple travelling salesman problem(EMTSP)model,which seamlessly bridges the gap between various disparate constraints and optimization objectives,is formulated for the first time.Then,a novel Greedy Partheno Genetic Algorithm(GPGA)is devised to consistently address the problem from two aspects:(1)Incorporating the greedy randomized initialization and local exploration strategy,GPGA merits strong global and local searching ability,providing high-quality solutions for EMTSP.(2)A novel mutation strategy which not only inherits all advantages of PGA but also maintains the best individual in the offspring is devised,contributing to the local escaping efficiently.Finally,to track the waypoint permutations generated by GPGA,control input is generated by the nonlinear model predictive controller(NMPC),ensuring the USV corresponds with the reference path and smoothen the motion under constrained dynamics.Simulations and comparisons in various scenarios demonstrated the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed scheme.
文摘Purpose–Since many global path planning algorithms cannot achieve the planned path with both safety and economy,this study aims to propose a path planning method for unmanned vehicles with a controllable distance from obstacles.Design/methodology/approach–First,combining satellite image and the Voronoi field algorithm(VFA)generates rasterized environmental information and establishes navigation area boundary.Second,establishing a hazard function associated with navigation area boundary improves the evaluation function of the A*algorithm and uses the improved A*algorithm for global path planning.Finally,to reduce the number of redundant nodes in the planned path and smooth the path,node optimization and gradient descent method(GDM)are used.Then,a continuous smooth path that meets the actual navigation requirements of unmanned vehicle is obtained.Findings–The simulation experiment proved that the proposed global path planning method can realize the control of the distance between the planned path and the obstacle by setting different navigation area boundaries.The node reduction rate is between 33.52%and 73.15%,and the smoothness meets the navigation requirements.This method is reasonable and effective in the global path planning process of unmanned vehicle and can provide reference to unmanned vehicles’autonomous obstacle avoidance decision-making.Originality/value–This study establishes navigation area boundary for the environment based on the VFA and uses the improved Aalgorithm to generate a navigation path that takes into account both safety and economy.This study also proposes a method to solve the redundancy of grid environment path nodes and large-angle steering and to smooth the path to improve the applicability of the proposed global path planning method.The proposed global path planning method solves the requirements of path safety and smoothness.
基金Funding for this research was provided by the Program for Scientific Research Innovation Team in Colleges and Universities of Anhui Province(No.2022AH010095)the Hefei Key Technology R&D“Champion-Based Selection”Project(No.2023SGJ011).
文摘With the increasing complexity of substation inspection tasks,achieving efficient and safe path planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in densely populated and structurally complex three-dimensional(3D)environments remains a critical challenge.To address this problem,this paper proposes an improved path planning algorithm—Random Geometric Graph(RGG)-guided Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(R-RRT)—based on the classical Rapidly-exploring Random Tree(RRT)framework.First,a refined 3D occupancy grid map is constructed from Light Detection and Ranging point cloud data through ground filtering,noise removal,coordinate transformation,and obstacle inflation using spherical structuring elements.During the planning stage,a dynamic goal-biasing strategy is introduced to adaptively adjust the sampling direction,the sampling distribution is optimized using a pre-generated RGG,and collision detection is accelerated via a K-Dimensional Tree structure.After initial trajectory generation,redundant nodes are eliminated via greedy pruning,and a curvature-minimizing gradient-based optimizationmethod is applied to smooth the trajectory.Experimental results conducted in a simulated substation environment demonstrate that,compared with mainstream path planning algorithms,the proposed R-RRT achieves superior performance in terms of path length,planning time,and trajectory smoothness.Comprehensive analysis shows that the proposed method significantly enhances trajectory quality,planning efficiency,and operational safety,validating its applicability and advantages for high-precision 3D path planning in complex substation inspection scenarios.
