Generating Dubins Path for Fixed Wing UAVs in Search Missions

Finding the shortest path from source to target is key to efficient search missions of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). For fixed wing UAVs, Dubins curves can be used to find the shortest path. For successive visits to targets during a single mission, the direction of flight of the UAV at each target is not of any significance. In such cases Dubins curves can be simplified to two instead of three constituent components. This paper proposes an algorithm derived using elementary geometry that generates Dubins curves for multiple target search missions. The algorithm proposed is tested and results reported for a search and rescue mission indicate that the path generator is fairly robust.