Utilizing Multiple UAVs for Covert Aerial Monitoring of a Mobile Target through Decentralized Priority-Based Trajectory Planning

Abstract

Autonomous aerial robots or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used in target surveillance and monitoring for various purposes due to their affordability, mobility, and flexibility. This study presents a decentralized priority-based approach for planning the flight paths of multiple UAVs engaged in covert aerial monitoring of a mobile target. This method aims to address the challenge of coordinating UAVs' trajectories to minimize the risk of collisions while ensuring a high level of camouflage. The decentralized approach involves each UAV autonomously planning its trajectory based on local data and shared information with other UAVs. The generated flight paths of each UAV are designed to remain visually concealed from the target and are energy-efficient. Furthermore, the approach incorporates the prioritization concept, where UAVs with lower disguising performance receive higher priority in collision avoidance situations that might occur during the movement along the generated paths. This prioritization reduces the risk of the target being aware of the UAVs. The proposed method is evaluated through comprehensive computer simulations conducted in MATLAB, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing UAV collisions while sustaining a high level of camouflage.