Optimal Flight Paths over Essential Visibility Graphs

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of generating optimal 2D flight paths compliant with mission constraints resulting from no-fly zones and/or obstacles, and from flight mechanics limitations as minimum coordinate turn radius and maximum climb and descent angles. The optimization problem is converted into a minimum cost path search within a so called Essential Visibility Graph whose arcs and corresponding weights are obtained via an efficient branching algorithm in view of possible real-time implementations. A possible extension to 3D paths is also presented. Finally, numerical examples are reported with a discussion on the computational aspects.