This paper considers a variation on the Dubins path problem and proposes an improved waypoint navigation (WN) algorithm called Dubins waypoint navigation (DWN). Based on the Dubins path problem, an algorithm is developed that is updated in real-time with a horizon of three waypoints. The purpose of DWN is to overcome a problem that we find in existing WN for small-class fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of not accurately reaching waypoints. This problem results at times in high overshoot and, in the presence of wind disturbances, it can cause a vehicle to miss the waypoint and swirl around it. To prevent this, the DWN creates “new waypoints” that are in the background, called turning points. Examples illustrate the improvement of the performance of WN achieved using the DWN algorithm in terms of the targeting of waypoints while reducing fuel and time.
References
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Tsourdos, A., White, B. and Shannugavel, M. (2011) Path Planning in Two Dimensions. In: Tsourdos, A., White, B. and Shanmugavel, M., Eds., Cooperative Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Wiley, Chichester, 30.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470974636
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Ariff, O. and Go, T. (2011) Waypoint Navigation of Small-Scale UAV Incorporating Dynamic Soaring. The Journal of Navigation, 64, 29-44.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0373463310000378
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Goerzen, C., Kong, Z. and Mettler, B. (2010) A Survey of Motion Planning Algorithms from the Perspective of Autonomous UAV Guidance. Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, 57, 65-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-009-9383-1
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Manyam, S., Rathinam, S., Casbeer, D. and Garcia, E. (2017) Tightly Bounding the Shortest Dubins Paths through a Sequence of Points. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 88, 495-511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-016-0459-4
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Wolek, A. and Woolsey, C. (2015) Feasible Dubins Paths in Presence of Unknown, Unsteady 5 Velocity Disturbances. Journal of Guidance Control and Dynamics, 38, 782-786. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G000629
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McGee, T. and Hedrick, J. (2007) Optimal Path Planning with a Kinematic Airplane Model. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 30, 629-633.
https://doi.org/10.2514/1.25042
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Milutinovic, D., Casbeerm, D., Cao, Y. and Kingston, D. (2017) Coordinate Frame Free Dubins Vehicle Circumnavigation Using Only Range-Based Measurements. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, 27, 2937-2960.
https://doi.org/10.1002/rnc.3718
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Ketema, Y. and Zhao, Y. (2010) Micro Air Vehicle Trajectory Planning in Winds. Journal of Aircraft, 47, 1460-1463. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C000247
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Meyer, Y., Isaiah, P. and Shima, T. (2015) On Dubins Paths to Intercept a Moving Target. Automatica, 53, 256-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.automatica.2014.12.039
[11]
Wang, Z., Lium L., Long, T. and Xu, G. (2018) Efficient Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Formation Rendezvous Trajectory Planningf Using Dubins Path and Sequential Convex Programming. Engineering Optimization, 51, 1412-1429.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0305215X.2018.1524461
[12]
Medeiros, A. and Urrutia, S. (2010) Discrete Optimization Methods to Determine Trajectories for Dubins’ Vehicles. Electronic Notes in Discrete Mathematics, 36, 17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endm.2010.05.003
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Silverberg, L. and Xu, D. (2018) Minimum-Fuel Hidden Layer Heuristic for Small-Class UAV. Master of Science Thesis, Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.
[14]
Drubin, C. (2013) UAV Market Worth $8.3 B by 2018. Microwave Journal, 56, 37.
[15]
Tsourdos, A., White, B. and Shannugavel, M. (2011) Path Planning in Two Dimensions. In: Tsourdos, A., White, B. and Shanmugavel, M., Eds., Cooperative Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Wiley, Chichester, 30.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470974636
[16]
Ariff, O. and Go, T. (2011) Waypoint Navigation of Small-Scale UAV Incorporating Dynamic Soaring. The Journal of Navigation, 64, 29-44.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0373463310000378
[17]
Goerzen, C., Kong, Z. and Mettler, B. (2010) A Survey of Motion Planning Algorithms from the Perspective of Autonomous UAV Guidance. Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, 57, 65-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-009-9383-1
[18]
Manyam, S., Rathinam, S., Casbeer, D. and Garcia, E. (2017) Tightly Bounding the Shortest Dubins Paths through a Sequence of Points. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 88, 495-511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-016-0459-4
[19]
Wolek, A. and Woolsey, C. (2015) Feasible Dubins Paths in Presence of Unknown, Unsteady 5 Velocity Disturbances. Journal of Guidance Control and Dynamics, 38, 782-786. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G000629
[20]
McGee, T. and Hedrick, J. (2007) Optimal Path Planning with a Kinematic Airplane Model. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 30, 629-633.
https://doi.org/10.2514/1.25042
[21]
Milutinovic, D., Casbeerm, D., Cao, Y. and Kingston, D. (2017) Coordinate Frame Free Dubins Vehicle Circumnavigation Using Only Range-Based Measurements. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, 27, 2937-2960.
https://doi.org/10.1002/rnc.3718
[22]
Ketema, Y. and Zhao, Y. (2010) Micro Air Vehicle Trajectory Planning in Winds. Journal of Aircraft, 47, 1460-1463. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C000247
[23]
Meyer, Y., Isaiah, P. and Shima, T. (2015) On Dubins Paths to Intercept a Moving Target. Automatica, 53, 256-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.automatica.2014.12.039
[24]
Wang, Z., Lium L., Long, T. and Xu, G. (2018) Efficient Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Formation Rendezvous Trajectory Planningf Using Dubins Path and Sequential Convex Programming. Engineering Optimization, 51, 1412-1429.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0305215X.2018.1524461
[25]
Medeiros, A. and Urrutia, S. (2010) Discrete Optimization Methods to Determine Trajectories for Dubins’ Vehicles. Electronic Notes in Discrete Mathematics, 36, 17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endm.2010.05.003
[26]
Silverberg, L. and Xu, D. (2018) Minimum-Fuel Hidden Layer Heuristic for Small-Class UAV. Master of Science Thesis, Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.
