Route Planning based on Improved A* Algorithm

The twenty-first century is the era of information technology, route planning play an important role in the field navigation. An improved algorithm for route planning based on A* algorithm is presented in this paper. A certain number of turning points for route planning are set firstly by sorting out and analyzing the s-57 charts ENC data. Secondly, a database is established to store route points. Thirdly, a simplified distance calculation formula and the Haversine formula are used in the improved A* algorithm for route planning. Finally, a route planning platform in the Northern China Sea based on ArcGIS Engine is developed to verify the proposed algorithm. The analysis results demonstrate that the optimal path between each coastal port in the North China Sea can be found.