A node-to-node composite graph and pseudo-Boolean modelling: An unmanned aerial vehicle energy application

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been gaining momentum in recent years because of their vast application areas in the defence and civilian sectors. Their use can result in future missions to be more effective while also be conducted in a safer manner. UAVs, due to their large operational potential may be required to travel over long distances and prespecified way points thus requiring an effective and efficient decision making mechanism which allow the UAV to start and complete its mission. These missions may start and terminate at different or identical topological locations (or nodes). In the current paper a node-to-node graph theory energy costs modelling method is developed and presented. The modelling method requires as a priori the node-to-node energy costs. Furthermore, several propositions were presented to allow for the energy matrix to be perturbable, thus representing possible atmospheric variations which may occur during the UAVs mission. The UAV is modelled using energy graphs which allow a topological optimum to be obtained via suitable optimization algorithms. The energy costs implicitly contain time, propulsion force, and velocity information thus producing realistic results.