Path Planning for Multi-UAV Formation

This paper presents an efficient and feasible algorithm for the path planning problem of the multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (multi-UAVs) formation in a known and realistic environment. The artificial potential field method updated by the additional control force is used for establishing two models for the single UAV, which are the particle dynamic model and the path planning optimization model. The additional control force can be calculated by using the optimal control method. Furthermore, the multi-UAV path planning model is established by introducing “virtual velocity rigid body” and “virtual target point”. Then, the motion states of the lead plane and wingmen are obtained from the path planning model. Finally, the path following process based on the quadrotor helicopter PID controllers is introduced to verify the rationality of the path planning results. The simulation results show that the artificial potential method with the additional control force improved by the optimal control method has a good path planning ability for the single UAV and the all UAVs formation. At the same time, the path planning results are available and the UAVs can basically track the UAV formation.