Area Coverage With Multiple Capacity-Constrained Robots

The area coverage problem is the task of efficiently servicing a given two-dimensional surface using sensors mounted on robots such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground (UGVs). We present novel formulation for generating routes multiple capacity-constrained robots, where capacity can be specified in terms battery life or flight time. Traversing environment incurs demands robot resources, which have limits. central aspect our approach transforming into line (i.e., linear features), then that minimize total cost travel while respecting constraints. define two modes travel: (1) (2) deadheading, correspond to whether performing task-specific actions not. Our allows separate asymmetric costs modes. Furthermore, cells computed from cell decomposition, aimed at minimizing number turns, are not required monotone polygons. develop new procedures decomposition generation service tracks handle non-monotone polygons with without holes. establish efficacy algorithm dataset 25 indoor environments an 300 outdoor environments. generates solutions whose 10% lower average than state-of-the-art methods. additionally demonstrate experiments UAVs.