Experiments in real time path planning for a small unmanned helicopter using mixed integer linear programming

We use mathematical programming to perform simulated and actual flight experiments with the MIT autonomous helicopter platform. The experimental platform mechanical hardware, avionics and software architecture are described. Mixed Integer Linear Programming formulations for guidance experiments in obstacle avoidance and threat evasion are presented. Results from an experimental flight and flight simulations are presented and discussed. The performance of the GNU Linear Programming Kit (GLPK) software library, used in the experiments, is examined. The solvers internal branching heuristic, as it pertains to our formulations, is illustrated graphically. Finally, we discuss ways to improve the solvers performance by adding stronger objective bounds to the subproblems it creates while applying the branch and bound algorithm.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Martinos, Ioannis, 1977-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Eric Feron.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17046

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/17046