Evolutionary approach for trajectory generation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) over hostile terrain

Abstract

This research focuses on point-to-point path generation algorithms that take into account the stealthiness of autonomous UAVs; generating stealthy paths through a region laden with enemy radars. The proposed approach assumes that the UAV has detailed information of the environment and the enemy radars in its vicinity. The evolutionary approach involves generating a preliminary cost-effective path consisting of a series of straight-line segments. The actual trajectory of the UAV is then refined using a series of cubic splines in lieu of the straight line segments, resulting in a cost-effective path traceable by the UAVs. The shape of the trajectory is approximated using cubic B-splines. Simulated results are presented, illustrating the potential benefits of such algorithms. ©Memetic Computing Society.