Rapid Shortest Path Decision of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with Kinematic Constraints

This paper presents an effective and rapid path decision method to determine and find a two-dimension path that is time optimal and obstacle free. Such a path is used only for moving forward vehicles with constant velocity and non-holonomic kinematic constraints such as UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Each start and goal point of a vehicle in a planar domain with randomly selected heading angle demonstrates this problem, which is sometimes referred to as Dubins's circle problems. Due to the nonlinearity of problems, researchers have recommended common approaches, including optimal control using cost functions and numerical solutions of nonlinear functions. These approaches do involve additional restrictions that previous research has highlighted. However; the author here suggests a simpler, more effective and more generalized method, based on problems identified in belt theory and pulley theory, in combination with geometrical and numerical approaches. Results of a simulation indicate its effectiveness.