Robust algorithm for real-time route planning

Route planning is an important problem for a number of diverse applications including intelligent transportation systems, space applications, autonomous robotics, and military guidance and navigation systems [1, 4, 5, 9—11]. We address the routing problem in the context of route planning for aircraft (rotorcraft or fixed-wing, manned or unmanned), though our approach can be easily extended to the other applications outlined above. Standard route (in this paper the terms “route” and “path” are used interchangeably) planning algorithms usually generate a minimum cost solution based on a predetermined cost function (relating factors such as terrain features, threat locations, mission requirements, etc.). Unfortunately, such a solution may not represent a “desirable” route for many mission scenarios. A desirable route can be considered a route that does not: 1) exceed the physical limitations of an aircraft, 2) exceed the threshold comfort level and/or workload of a pilot, or 3) violate mission scenario parameters. In particular, many missions require several constraints on the resultant path, such as the following.