Obstacle Avoidance Using Circular Paths
Jeffery B. Saunders, Randal W. Beard, Timothy W. McLain · AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference and Exhibit · 2007
This paper develops a method of obstacle avoidance for fixed-wing miniature air vehicles (MAV) using a series of circular oscillating paths and a single point laser ranger. The laser ranger is a low power, light-weight device used to report the distance to an object in a single direction of the body frame of a MAV. The oscillating paths allow the laser ranger to scan for obstacles and possible escape paths for the MAV in the case of obstacle detection. The circular paths are generated along waypoint paths and transition between waypoint paths without loss of scanning capabilities. Obstacle avoidance is guaranteed.