AUTONOMOUS UNMANNED DRONES FLIGHT PLANNING, USING A MODIFIED SHORTEST PATH ALGORITHM WITH A LIMITED TIME FRAME

Abstract

The aim of this work is to develop an algorithm to find the shortest path for drone flight planning with a limited time frame. Author used the local search shortest path algorithm to find the most efficient algorithm to use for further modification to apply to a drones flight calculation. The algorithm was modified to use the distance between points as a unit of time to limit the flight path length depending on the drone's maximum flight time. As a result of the work, an algorithm was created which, upon receiving an array of points, finds the shortest distance between the points, but when it reaches the limit of the flight duration, it returns to the drone station to charge, and resumes flight once it’s done charging.