Cooperative trajectory planning for multi-UCAV using multiple traveling salesman problem

Abstract

This paper studied the problem of cooperative trajectory planning integrated target assignment for multiple unmanned combat aerial vehicles, servicing multiple targets. The problem is formulated as a dynamics-constrained, multiple depot, multiple traveling salesman problem with neighborhoods (DC_MDMTSPN), which is a variant of the multiple traveling salesman problem (MTSP). Then, the entire process of solving the DC_MDMTSPN consists of two phases: 1) In the preprocessing phase, the directed graph is constructed and then the original problem is transformed to a standard asymmetric TSP (ATSP); 2) In the solving phase, the Lin-Kernighan Heuristic (LKH) searching algorithm is used to solve the ATSP. Finally, a typical scenario validates the proposed approach and experimental results demonstrate that the approach is feasible and effective.