Model of UAV and Downwash for Multi-UAV Path Planning
Chih‐Chun Chen, Hugh H. T. Liu · AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum · 2022
View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-0757.vid This paper develops a method to model the air flow downwash effect generated by the quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and its effect on the neighboring UAVs. The downwash model derives the resultant downwash force and torque and takes the UAV attitude into the account. Each UAV is shaped by a virtual structure for collision-free path planning. The shape is modified from a standard spherical body to a proposed cylinder to better minimize downwash impact. A flock-based path planning algorithm and an optimal reciprocal collision avoidance (ORCA) algorithm are implemented and investigated in this study to analyze the downwash effect and the performance of the proposed cylindrical shape UAV model. The downwash model simulation shows how the UAV can be affected when it counters the downwash air flow. A flock-based algorithm and an ORCA algorithm along with the spherical and cylindrical shape UAV models are simulated to demonstrate the cylindrical model can improve path planning performance.