An Energy Optimal Path-Planning Scheme for Quadcopters in Forests

Motivated by the seriousness of local forests infestation by Pine Processionary Moths, in this paper we devise a method to completely yet optimally scan a forest. More precisely, given a forest map, an optimal path-planning algorithm that is adequate for a drone to visit all of the trees, in an energy optimal manner, is developed. The pre-map of the trees and terrain are modeled so that they are embedded within the optimal trajectory planning. Optimal control theory is then used to generate a trajectory and path between each pair of trees. Having robustly defined the tree-to-tree travel cost, an adjacency matrix is constructed. Taking recourse to Graph Theory and Integer Linear Programming along with Sub-Tour Elimination Constraints, the routes are chosen to tour the entire forest and return to the base in an energy optimal fashion.

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