Contour Based Path Planning with B-Spline Trajectory Generation for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) over Hostile Terrain

Ee-May Kan, Meng-Hiot Lim, Swee-Ping Yeo, Jiun-Sien Ho, Zhenhai Shao

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DOI: 10.4236/jilsa.2011.33014                

Abstract

This research focuses on trajectory generation algorithms that take into account the stealthiness of autonomous UAVs; generating stealthy paths through a region laden with enemy radars. The algorithm is employed to estimate the risk cost of the navigational space and generate an optimized path based on the user-specified threshold altitude value. Thus the generated path is represented with a set of low-radar risk waypoints being the coordinates of its control points. The radar-aware path planner is then approximated using cubic B-splines by considering the least radar risk to the destination. Simulated results are presented, illustrating the potential benefits of such algorithms.

Keywords

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Radar, Path Planning, B-Splines

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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