4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime

stochastic approach

J. A. Cobano, D. Alejo, G. Heredia and A. Ollero

Robotics, Vision and Control Group, University of Seville (Spain)

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulations
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulations
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INTRODUCTION

•Workload of the controllers

•New Decision Support Systems
•Future ATM system: efficiency, safety and reliability
•Gradient based-techniques – Particle Swarm Optimization
•4D trajectory planning algorithm:
– Cooperative
– Stochastic optimization technique
– Anytime approach
•Medium-Term and Short-Term Conflict Detection and
Resolution

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulation and Experiments
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PROBLEM FORMULATION AND OBJECTIVES
• Collision-free 4D trajectories: Minimum safety distance
• Input
– Initial flight plan of each aircraft
– Parameters of the aircraft model
– Location of each aircraft
– ETA of each aircraft
– The available computation time
• Maneuvers allowed:
– Add intermediate waypoints
– Change of speed
• Objectives
– Plan collision-free 4D trajectories
– Meet the ETA

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulation
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 ALGORITHM DESCRIPTION
• Blocks of the proposed system
– Detection algorithm
– Roundabout technique
– Particle Swarm Optimization

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 DETECTION ALGORITHM

• Algorithm used
– Axis-aligned minimum bounding boxes
– System described as a set of boxes aligned with the coordinated axes
– Six comparisons for each pair of boxes in the system

where A=[Ai,Ae] and B=[Bi,Be] are the intervals in one coordinate

• Advantages
– Simple: few parameters will describe the system
– Low execution time (0.004 sec aprox.)
• Disadvantages
– Accuracy is not very necessary

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 DETECTION ALGORITHM

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM

• Collision-free 4D trajectory planning

– Roundabout technique (quickly compute a feasible but non-
optimal solution)
– Algorithm based on a stochastic optimization technique (Particle
Swarm Optimization)

• Anytime approach: trajectory quality improves with increase in

available computation time

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM

• Optimization problems with multiple local minimum

• Gradient-based techniques are not suited
• Global optimization methods  efficient and effective
alternative
• PSO presents advantages with respect to evolutionary
techniques:
– Lower time of computation
– Better quality of solution

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM

• Particle Swarm Optimization is based on the research of bird and

fish flock movement behavior

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM

• Particle Swarm Optimization

– Cost function:

– Maneuvers allowed:
• Add intermediate waypoints
• Change of speed
– Solution
• Collision-free 4D trajectory
• Meet the ETA
– Best solution improves over the time
• Can be stopped at any time and the current best solution will be returned

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM
• Particle Swarm Optimization: Example

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM
• 100 initial particles
• State of each particle: (x,y) of the intermediate waypoint

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 PLANNING ALGORITHM
• Particle Swarm Optimization: Example

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulations
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 SIMULATIONS

• Scenario: 10x10x10m3
• Number of aerial vehicles: 2-5 (200 tests for each case)
• Number of intermediate waypoints: 1
• Allowed speed: 0.3m/s – 2m/s
• Random generation process of the tests
• Each problem is formulated as a set of entry and exit
points located in one of the lateral sides of the scenario
• The initial trajectories should ensure that generating a
conflict
• OPTIMAL SOLUTION: solution computed after 100 iterations

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 SIMULATIONS

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 SIMULATIONS

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 SIMULATIONS

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 SIMULATIONS

• Anytime approach (3 UAVs)

Quality (%) Time (s)
First solution 0.237
10 0.671
20 0.989
30 1.306
40 1.638
50 1.931
60 2.503
70 3.482
80 4.404

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 INDEX

• Introduction
• Problem Formulation and Objectives
• ASCDR system
• Simulation
• Conclusions and Future work

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 CONCLUSIONS
• A CDR algorithm has been designed
– Both lateral and speed maneuvers implemented
– Near-optimal

• Several simulations done

– Designed a test battery of 800 tests

• Stochastic any-time approach introduced

– Quality of the solution depends on the available time

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems
 QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!

“4D trajectory planning in ATM with an anytime stochastic approach”

3rd International Conference on Application and Theory of Automation in Command and Control Systems