DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots

Recent advancements in agricultural mobile robots (agribots) have enabled the execution of critical tasks such as crop inspection, precision spraying, and selective harvesting. While agribots show significant potential, conventional path-planning algorithms suffer from three limitations: (1) inadequ...

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Main Authors: Zhenpeng Zhang, Pengyu Li, Shanglei Chai, Yukang Cui, Yibin Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1321
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author Zhenpeng Zhang
Pengyu Li
Shanglei Chai
Yukang Cui
Yibin Tian
author_facet Zhenpeng Zhang
Pengyu Li
Shanglei Chai
Yukang Cui
Yibin Tian
author_sort Zhenpeng Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Recent advancements in agricultural mobile robots (agribots) have enabled the execution of critical tasks such as crop inspection, precision spraying, and selective harvesting. While agribots show significant potential, conventional path-planning algorithms suffer from three limitations: (1) inadequate dynamic obstacle avoidance, which may compromise operational safety, (2) premature convergence to local optima, and (3) excessive energy consumption due to suboptimal trajectories. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes an enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization (DGA-ACO) framework. It integrates a 2D risk-penalty mapping model with dynamic obstacle avoidance mechanisms, improves max–min ant system pheromone allocation through adaptive crossover-mutation operators, and incorporates a hidden Markov model for accurately forecasting obstacle trajectories. A multi-objective fitness function simultaneously optimizes path length, energy efficiency, and safety metrics, while genetic operators prevent algorithmic stagnation. Simulations in different scenarios show that DGA-ACO outperforms Dijkstra, A*, genetic algorithm, ant colony optimization, and other state-of-the-art methods. It achieves shortened path lengths and improved motion smoothness while achieving a certain degree of dynamic obstacle avoidance in the global path-planning process.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2077-0472
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publisher MDPI AG
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series Agriculture
spelling doaj-art-d44653e99a3648ddba3174dfa597ea692025-08-20T03:26:14ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-06-011512132110.3390/agriculture15121321DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for AgribotsZhenpeng Zhang0Pengyu Li1Shanglei Chai2Yukang Cui3Yibin Tian4College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaCollege of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaCollege of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaCollege of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaCollege of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaRecent advancements in agricultural mobile robots (agribots) have enabled the execution of critical tasks such as crop inspection, precision spraying, and selective harvesting. While agribots show significant potential, conventional path-planning algorithms suffer from three limitations: (1) inadequate dynamic obstacle avoidance, which may compromise operational safety, (2) premature convergence to local optima, and (3) excessive energy consumption due to suboptimal trajectories. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes an enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization (DGA-ACO) framework. It integrates a 2D risk-penalty mapping model with dynamic obstacle avoidance mechanisms, improves max–min ant system pheromone allocation through adaptive crossover-mutation operators, and incorporates a hidden Markov model for accurately forecasting obstacle trajectories. A multi-objective fitness function simultaneously optimizes path length, energy efficiency, and safety metrics, while genetic operators prevent algorithmic stagnation. Simulations in different scenarios show that DGA-ACO outperforms Dijkstra, A*, genetic algorithm, ant colony optimization, and other state-of-the-art methods. It achieves shortened path lengths and improved motion smoothness while achieving a certain degree of dynamic obstacle avoidance in the global path-planning process.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1321agricultural robotssafety compliancepath planningobstacle avoidancegenetic algorithm (GA)ant colony optimization (ACO)
spellingShingle Zhenpeng Zhang
Pengyu Li
Shanglei Chai
Yukang Cui
Yibin Tian
DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
Agriculture
agricultural robots
safety compliance
path planning
obstacle avoidance
genetic algorithm (GA)
ant colony optimization (ACO)
title DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
title_full DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
title_fullStr DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
title_full_unstemmed DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
title_short DGA-ACO: Enhanced Dynamic Genetic Algorithm—Ant Colony Optimization Path Planning for Agribots
title_sort dga aco enhanced dynamic genetic algorithm ant colony optimization path planning for agribots
topic agricultural robots
safety compliance
path planning
obstacle avoidance
genetic algorithm (GA)
ant colony optimization (ACO)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1321
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AT pengyuli dgaacoenhanceddynamicgeneticalgorithmantcolonyoptimizationpathplanningforagribots
AT shangleichai dgaacoenhanceddynamicgeneticalgorithmantcolonyoptimizationpathplanningforagribots
AT yukangcui dgaacoenhanceddynamicgeneticalgorithmantcolonyoptimizationpathplanningforagribots
AT yibintian dgaacoenhanceddynamicgeneticalgorithmantcolonyoptimizationpathplanningforagribots