Persistent Target Detection and Tracking By an Autonomous Swarm
Abstract
This paper presents an autonomous multivehicle control algorithm capable of persistently searching and tracking targets in a defined search area subject to operational endurance constraints of individual agents. A small-scale system serves as proof of concept for larger systems that are employed in operational environments. The underlying goal is to design a modular control architecture that can be modified to any type of autonomous vehicle, search area, or target. In practical application, a target can be anything from heat signatures to radioactive material; therefore, this project will simulate a generic emitter detector pair as a placeholder relationship for real world applications. The control strategy accounts for the appearance, motion, and disappearance of multiple targets in the search space constituting the utility of creating a team of multiple search agents. When agent battery level drops below a predetermined threshold, the agent returns to a base station to recharge and be relaunched into the mission. Remaining agents must account for this loss and gain of other team members as they exit the search environment. The contributions of this work are 1) the design of search trajectories for autonomous vehicles with limited endurance, 2) incorporation of return-to-base and recharge time requirements, and 3) coordination of multiple vehicles by developing a decision-making model to and assign agents to operational modes. Each of these components enable persistent multivehicle operations. Simulation results are intended for implementation on a system of quadrotors complemented by a system capable of autonomously recharging vehicles to sustain a multivehicle team beyond the mission life of a single vehicle.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 07, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1054411
Entities
People
- John Jr J. Gainer
Organizations
- United States Naval Academy