2D UAV path planning with radar threatening areas using simulated annealing algorithm for event detection

Abstract

Path Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be used for many purposes. However, the problem becomes more and more complex when dealing with a large number of points to visit for detecting and catching different type of events and simple threat avoidance such as Radar Areas. In the literature different type of algorithms (especially evolutionary algorithms) are preferred. In this project, Simulated Annealing (SA) Algorithm is used for solving the path planning problem. Firstly, problem is converted to a part of Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP), and then the solutions are optimized with the 2-Opt approach and other simple algorithms. The code is implemented in MATLAB by using its visualization. Circular avoidance approach is developed and applied with the Simulated Annealing in order to escape from circular radar threats. Tests have been made to observe the results of SA algorithm and radar threats avoidance approaches, where the results show that after a period of time, SA algorithm gives acceptable solutions with the capacities of escaping from radar area threats. Where SA algorithm gives better solutions in less period of time when there are no radar threats. Experimental results depicted that the proposed model can result in an acceptable solution for UAVs in sufficient execution time. This model can be used as an alternative solution to the similar evolutionary algorithms.