Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations

Aiming at the trajectory planning problem for heterogeneous UAV formations in complex environments, a trajectory prediction model combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM) is designed, and a real-time trajectory planning method is proposed based on thi...

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Main Authors: Weichen Qian, Wenjun Yi, Shusen Yuan, Jun Guan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Drones
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/2/78
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author Weichen Qian
Wenjun Yi
Shusen Yuan
Jun Guan
author_facet Weichen Qian
Wenjun Yi
Shusen Yuan
Jun Guan
author_sort Weichen Qian
collection DOAJ
description Aiming at the trajectory planning problem for heterogeneous UAV formations in complex environments, a trajectory prediction model combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM) is designed, and a real-time trajectory planning method is proposed based on this model. By pre-training trajectory prediction networks for various types of UAVs, the traditional physics-based models are replaced for flight trajectory prediction. Inspired by Model Predictive Control (MPC), in the trajectory planning stage, the method generates multi-step trajectory points using an improved artificial potential field (APF) method, estimates the actual formation trajectory using the prediction network, and optimizes the trajectory through a multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm after evaluating the planning costs. During actual flight, the optimized parameters generate trajectory points for the formation to follow. Unlike conventional path planning based on simple constraints, the proposed method directly plans trajectory points based on trajectory tracking performance, ensuring high feasibility for the formation to follow. Experimental results show that the CNN-LSTM network outperforms other networks in both short-term and long-term trajectory prediction. The proposed trajectory planning method demonstrates significant advantages in formation maintenance, trajectory tracking, and real-time obstacle avoidance, ensuring flight stability and safety while maintaining high-speed flight.
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spelling doaj-art-8872a7cd4d5f477098363c8376fc45f92025-08-20T03:12:14ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2025-01-01927810.3390/drones9020078Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV FormationsWeichen Qian0Wenjun Yi1Shusen Yuan2Jun Guan3National Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, ChinaNational Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, ChinaNational Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, ChinaSchool of Automation, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaAiming at the trajectory planning problem for heterogeneous UAV formations in complex environments, a trajectory prediction model combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM) is designed, and a real-time trajectory planning method is proposed based on this model. By pre-training trajectory prediction networks for various types of UAVs, the traditional physics-based models are replaced for flight trajectory prediction. Inspired by Model Predictive Control (MPC), in the trajectory planning stage, the method generates multi-step trajectory points using an improved artificial potential field (APF) method, estimates the actual formation trajectory using the prediction network, and optimizes the trajectory through a multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm after evaluating the planning costs. During actual flight, the optimized parameters generate trajectory points for the formation to follow. Unlike conventional path planning based on simple constraints, the proposed method directly plans trajectory points based on trajectory tracking performance, ensuring high feasibility for the formation to follow. Experimental results show that the CNN-LSTM network outperforms other networks in both short-term and long-term trajectory prediction. The proposed trajectory planning method demonstrates significant advantages in formation maintenance, trajectory tracking, and real-time obstacle avoidance, ensuring flight stability and safety while maintaining high-speed flight.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/2/78heterogeneous UAV swarmtrajectory planningmulti-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO)trajectory predictiondeep learningartificial potential field (APF)
spellingShingle Weichen Qian
Wenjun Yi
Shusen Yuan
Jun Guan
Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
Drones
heterogeneous UAV swarm
trajectory planning
multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO)
trajectory prediction
deep learning
artificial potential field (APF)
title Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
title_full Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
title_fullStr Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
title_full_unstemmed Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
title_short Control-Oriented Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Heterogeneous UAV Formations
title_sort control oriented real time trajectory planning for heterogeneous uav formations
topic heterogeneous UAV swarm
trajectory planning
multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO)
trajectory prediction
deep learning
artificial potential field (APF)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/2/78
work_keys_str_mv AT weichenqian controlorientedrealtimetrajectoryplanningforheterogeneousuavformations
AT wenjunyi controlorientedrealtimetrajectoryplanningforheterogeneousuavformations
AT shusenyuan controlorientedrealtimetrajectoryplanningforheterogeneousuavformations
AT junguan controlorientedrealtimetrajectoryplanningforheterogeneousuavformations