Fuzzy decision trees for planning and autonomous control of a coordinated team of UAVs

A fuzzy logic resource manager that enables a collection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to automatically cooperate to make meteorological measurements will be discussed. Once in flight no human intervention is required. Planning and real-time control algorithms determine the optimal trajectory and points each UAV will sample, while taking into account the UAVs’ risk, risk tolerance, reliability, mission priority, fuel limitations, mission cost, and related uncertainties. The control algorithm permits newly obtained information about weather and other events to be introduced to allow the UAVs to be more effective. The approach is illustrated by a discussion of the fuzzy decision tree for UAV path assignment and related simulation. The different fuzzy membership functions on the tree are described in mathematical detail. The different methods by which this tree is obtained are summarized including a method based on using a genetic program as a data mining function. A second fuzzy decision tree that allows the UAVs to automatically collaborate without human intervention is discussed. This tree permits three different types of collaborative behavior between the UAVs. Simulations illustrating how the tree allows the different types of collaboration to be automated are provided. Simulations also show the ability of the control algorithm to allow UAVs to effectively cooperate to increase the UAV team’s likelihood of success.