Significant attention has been given to the field of multi-agent systems in recent years due to its potential to solve complex problems that cannot be addressed by a single agent. One such problem is the cooperative search and coverage application, which requires multiple agents to efficiently search and cover a given area. However, the effectiveness of such systems is dependent on various factors, including mission definition parameters and the approach used to achieve mission performance optimality. In this paper, an optimal strategy for segregating multi-agent missions for search and coverage applications is proposed. The proposed strategy involves dividing a single mission into several simultaneous missions based on the optimal division of the environment that ensures system performance optimality while achieving a common goal. The mission area is divided into sub-areas, and each sub-area is assigned to specific agents to improve overall system performance. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is demonstrated through simulations and relevant comparisons.
Ru, C.J., Qi, X.M. and Guan, X.N., 2015. Distributed cooperative search control method of multiple UAVs for moving target. International Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/317953
Mirzaei, M., Sharifi, F., Gordon, B.W., Rabbath, C.A. and Zhang, Y.M., 2011, December. Cooperative multi-vehicle search and coverage problem in uncertain environments. In 2011 50th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control and European Control Conference(pp. 4140-4145). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/CDC.2011.6161448
Sharifi, F., Mirzaei, M., Zhang, Y. and Gordon, B.W., 2015. Cooperative multi-vehicle search and coverage problem in an uncertain environment. Unmanned systems, 3(01), pp.35-47. https://doi.org/10.1142/S230138501550003X
Durrant-Whyte, H. and Henderson, T.C., 2016. Multisensor data fusion. In Springer handbook of robotics(pp. 867-896). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32552-1_35
Yang, Y., Polycarpou, M.M. and Minai, A.A., 2007. Multi-UAV cooperative search using an opportunistic learning method. Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, 129(5), pp.716-728. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2764515
Murphy, R.R., 1998. Dempster-Shafer theory for sensor fusion in autonomous mobile robots. IEEE Transactions on robotics and automation, 14(2), pp.197-206. https://doi.org/10.1109/70.681240
Yang, Y., Minai, A.A. and Polycarpou, M.M., 2005, June. Evidential map-building approaches for multi-UAV cooperative search. In Proceedings of the 2005, American Control Conference, 2005.(pp. 116-121). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACC.2005.1469918
Hu, J., Xie, L., Lum, K.Y. and Xu, J., 2012. Multiagent information fusion and cooperative control in target search. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 21(4), pp.1223-1235. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCST.2012.2198650
Aggarwal, S. and Kumar, N., 2020. Path planning techniques for unmanned aerial vehicles: A review, solutions, and challenges. Computer Communications, 149, pp.270-299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2019.10.014
Flint, M., Polycarpou, M. and Fernández-Gaucherand, E., 2002. Cooperative path-planning for autonomous vehicles using dynamic programming. IFAC Proceedings Volumes, 35(1), pp.481-486. https://doi.org/10.3182/20020721-6-ES-1901.01305
Sanna, G., Godio, S. and Guglieri, G., 2021, June. Neural network based algorithm for multi-UAV coverage path planning. In 2021 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS) (pp. 1210-1217). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICUAS51884.2021.9476864
Yue, W., Guan, X. and Wang, L., 2019. A novel searching method using reinforcement learning scheme for multi-uavs in unknown environments. Applied Sciences, 9(22), p.4964. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9224964
Chang, H., Chen, Y., Zhang, B. and Doermann, D., 2021. Multi-uav mobile edge computing and path planning platform based on reinforcement learning. IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computational Intelligence. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2102.02078
Zhang, B., Mao, Z., Liu, W. and Liu, J., 2015. Geometric reinforcement learning for path planning of UAVs. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 77(2), pp.391-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-013-9901-z
Lanillos, P., Gan, S.K., Besada-Portas, E., Pajares, G. and Sukkarieh, S., 2014. Multi-UAV target search using decentralized gradient-based negotiation with expected observation. Information Sciences, 282, pp.92-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2014.05.054
Gan, S.K. and Sukkarieh, S., 2011, May. Multi-UAV target search using explicit decentralized gradient-based negotiation. In 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (pp. 751-756). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA.2011.5979704
Chen, Y.B., Luo, G.C., Mei, Y.S., Yu, J.Q. and Su, X.L., 2016. UAV path planning using artificial potential field method updated by optimal control theory. International Journal of Systems Science, 47(6), pp.1407-1420. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207721.2014.929191
Sun, J., Tang, J. and Lao, S., 2017. Collision avoidance for cooperative UAVs with optimized artificial potential field algorithm. IEEE Access, 5, pp.18382-18390. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2017.2746752
Roberge, V., Tarbouchi, M. and Labonté, G., 2012. Comparison of parallel genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization for real-time UAV path planning. IEEE Transactions on industrial informatics, 9(1), pp.132-141. https://doi.org/10.1109/TII.2012.2198665
Zhang, W., Zhang, S., Wu, F. and Wang, Y., 2021. Path planning of UAV based on improved adaptive grey wolf optimization algorithm. IEEE Access, 9, pp.89400-89411. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3090776
Zhou, X., Gao, F., Fang, X. and Lan, Z., 2021. Improved bat algorithm for UAV path planning in three-dimensional space. IEEE Access, 9, pp.20100-20116. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3054179
Hou, K., Yang, Y., Yang, X. and Lai, J., 2021. Distributed cooperative search algorithm with task assignment and receding horizon predictive control for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. IEEE Access, 9, pp.6122-6136. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3048974
Liu, Z., Gao, X. and Fu, X., 2018. A cooperative search and coverage algorithm with controllable revisit and connectivity maintenance for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. Sensors, 18(5), p.1472. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18051472
Zhang, M., Song, J., Huang, L. and Zhang, C., 2017. Distributed cooperative search with collision avoidance for a team of unmanned aerial vehicles using gradient optimization. Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 30(1), p.04016064.
Hu, J., 2013. Information fusion and cooperative control for target search and localization in multi‑agent sensor networks (Doctoral dissertation, Nanyang Technological University). https://doi.org/10.32657%2F10356%2F51879
Teruel, E., Aragues, R. and López-Nicolás, G., 2019. A distributed robot swarm control for dynamic region coverage. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 119, pp.51-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2019.06.002
Mathews, G.M., Durrant-Whyte, H. and Prokopenko, M., 2009. Decentralised decision making in heterogeneous teams using anonymous optimisation. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 57(3), pp.310-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2008.10.020
Deb, K., Pratap, A., Agarwal, S. and Meyarivan, T.A.M.T., 2002. A fast and elitist multiobjective genetic algorithm: NSGA-II. IEEE transactions on evolutionary computation, 6(2), pp.182-197. https://doi.org/10.1109/4235.996017
Ebrahimi,B. , Roshanian,J. and Bataleblu,A. Asghar (2024). Optimal Strategy for Multi-agent Mission Segregation: Search and Coverage Application. Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology, 17(1), 34-46. doi: 10.22034/jast.2023.403842.1156
MLA
Ebrahimi,B. , , Roshanian,J. , and Bataleblu,A. Asghar. "Optimal Strategy for Multi-agent Mission Segregation: Search and Coverage Application", Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology, 17, 1, 2024, 34-46. doi: 10.22034/jast.2023.403842.1156
HARVARD
Ebrahimi B., Roshanian J., Bataleblu A. Asghar (2024). 'Optimal Strategy for Multi-agent Mission Segregation: Search and Coverage Application', Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology, 17(1), pp. 34-46. doi: 10.22034/jast.2023.403842.1156
CHICAGO
B. Ebrahimi, J. Roshanian and A. Asghar Bataleblu, "Optimal Strategy for Multi-agent Mission Segregation: Search and Coverage Application," Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology, 17 1 (2024): 34-46, doi: 10.22034/jast.2023.403842.1156
VANCOUVER
Ebrahimi B., Roshanian J., Bataleblu A. Asghar Optimal Strategy for Multi-agent Mission Segregation: Search and Coverage Application. Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology, 2024; 17(1): 34-46. doi: 10.22034/jast.2023.403842.1156