Real-time path planning for unmanned aerial vehicles using behavior coordination and virtual goal

There is no effective real-time path planning algorithm for unmanned aerial vehicles to meet the simultaneous requirements in flight path optimization, smoothness, global convergence, and evasion. We propose a real-time path planning approach based on the coordination of the global and local behaviors. This approach realizes the path planning by controlling the local behavior and the global behavior. A fuzzy logic controller(FLC) for controlling the local behavior is designed to achieve the threat-avoidance. The global turning angle algorithm for controlling the global behavior realizes the global goal convergence and boundary following of threatening region through switching between the global goal and virtual goals. The coordination mechanism based on fuzzy logic is used to fuse the control commands of two behavior controllers for UAVs. Through different analysis, proofs, and simulations, we verify that the propose approach provides characteristics of shorter path, smoothness and global convergence.