Prof. Swaroop Darbha, Gulf Oil/Thomas E. Dietz Professor, Mike J Walker'66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA
Talk title: Routing a collection of UAVs
Abstract:UAVs are used as data gathering and delivery platforms for civilian and defense applications. To use them effectively, one must consider their limited flying time and frequent recharging requirements. Moreover, their fuel consumption rate can significantly depend on the load they are carrying/delivering. Some UAVs use hybrid propulsion platforms to minimize their acoustic signature in specified areas; however, when on-board batteries get recharged with gas propulsion, their fuel consumption rate increases. UAVs must recharge frequently at charging stations for long-duration autonomy applications and must arrive at a charging station before running out of fuel. A charging station may not accommodate more than a single UAV and can become a bottleneck. This talk focuses on decision algorithms for routing a collection of UAVs and scheduling them at the charging stations, while considering safety, operational and energy-usage constraints.