Research On Cooperative Planning For Multiple UCAVs In Complicated Environmments

UCAVs (Unmaned Combat Aerial Vehicles) are often used to strike targets coordinately to meet operation requirements. How to allocate UCAVs available, generate their routes, and set time of arrival for them is a difficulty to achieve goals of operation successfully.In order to find answers to it, an architecture oriented to multi-UCAVs’ mission planning in complex combat environments has been proposed in the paper. Much theoretical research work on the aspects related to the architechure,including complex flight environment model,route planning model,3D route planning algorithm and multi-route planning algorithm,has been conducted systematically.A large number of computer simulations has been carried out with the prototype developed for the architecture.The experiments shows that An operation scheme can be attained under the architecture by considering task force availabilities, route planning in complex environments and collision avoidance among UCAVs. These initiatives include:1) A mission planning hierarchical framework which logically integrates route preplanning, task assignment, route planning, and task coordination model. It divides multi-UCAVs’mission planning problem into three logically-related levels-route preplanning,task assignment,route planning and task coordination. This can lessen problem constraint complexities and solve the difficulties of multi-UCAVs’mission planning effectually.2) An independent matrix concept which can explain quantitatively collision between any two routes has been proposed. It has been used in the process of multi-route planning, task assignment and coordination. Expected routes can be chosen to be adjusted, or be formed a route group which meets criteria of collision avoidance.3) A vector model-based 3D route planning algorithm has also been presented. It can rapidly generate 3D routes under UCAV’s maneuvering constraints.4) A GA&SAS mixed 3D multi-route planning method has been proposed. A batch of routes which meets complex constraints of long-range UCAV with precise navigation systems can be generated by taking advantages of SAS’s grid-by-grid search and GA’s global random search abilities.5) A task assignment model has been built by correlating launch sites, UCAVs and targets, and a heuristic GA based task assignment algorithm has been proposed. The algorithm can give expected assignment results rapidly.6) A time-control based task coordination method which makes UCAVs’ collision avoid effectively has also been presented by considering UCAVs’launching time intervals and speed adjustment capabilities. It makes UCAVs’collision avoid, and minimize launch time window under the TOA (Time Of Arrival) constraint.Therefore, the research work presented in the paper provides a solution to multi-UCAVs’coordinated mission planning in complex environment.