DEVELOPMENT OF A HYBRID METHOD FOR PLANNING THE MOVEMENT OF A GROUP OF MARINE ROBOTIC COMPLEXES IN AN A PRIORI UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENT WITH OBSTACLES

Abstract

The article discusses the problem of organizing the group movement of marine robotics (MRS), in particular, unmanned autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), in an a priori unknown environment with obstacles. A brief analysis of existing projects on the subject of MRS group control, and path-planning algorithms have been carried out. The presence of numerous studies in this area confirms the relevance of the indicated problem. The formal statement of the problem of the movement of four robots in formation is presented. The proposed method for a group path planning is based on a combined approach that organizes a multi-level solution to organizing the movement of MRS. At the upper level, a system for global path planning and mission control was developed based on the random tree method, which provides the general movement of the group based on a priori information about the state of the environment. The lower-level planning system adjusts the global path, allowing objects at the local level to carry out the group agents’ movement and interaction, including ensuring their collision-free movement in environment and exit from the areas of local minima. The article provides a detailed analytical description of the developed algorithm and a block diagram of its functioning. Numerical simulation of the movement of a group of 4 AUVs in a non-deterministic environment with fixed obstacles is carried out. The simulation was carried out taking into account obstacles of various shapes and complexity. The results of mathematical modeling demonstrated the solution to the problem of the exit of the AUV group from the area of the local minimum. Full-scale tests are presented on the example of a group of three unmanned boats: a group of mobile objects formed a formation and carried out a movement in a given formation to target positions and returned to the final zone. In addition, the local planning module developed within the framework of this article was integrated into the software of the "Shadow" underwater glider control system. In the conclusion, the results of the proposed method and its further development, in particular, its application in 3D environment, are considered.