Motion-encoded particle swarm optimization for moving target search using UAVs

• Published in: Applied soft computing Vol. 97; p. 106705
• Main Authors: Phung, Manh Duong, Ha, Quang Phuc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Optimal search; Particle swarm optimization; UAV; Particle swarm optimization; Optimal search; UAV
• ISSN: 1568-4946; 1872-9681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asoc.2020.106705

This paper presents a novel algorithm named the motion-encoded particle swarm optimization (MPSO) for finding a moving target with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). From the Bayesian theory, the search problem can be converted to the optimization of a cost function that represents the probability of detecting the target. Here, the proposed MPSO is developed to solve that problem by encoding the search trajectory as a series of UAV motion paths evolving over the generation of particles in a PSO algorithm. This motion-encoded approach allows for preserving important properties of the swarm including the cognitive and social coherence, and thus resulting in better solutions. Results from extensive simulations with existing methods show that the proposed MPSO improves the detection performance by 24% and time performance by 4.71 times compared to the original PSO, and moreover, also outperforms other state-of-the-art metaheuristic optimization algorithms including the artificial bee colony (ABC), ant colony optimization (ACO), genetic algorithm (GA), differential evolution (DE), and tree-seed algorithm (TSA) in most search scenarios. Experiments have been conducted with real UAVs in searching for a dynamic target in different scenarios to demonstrate MPSO merits in a practical application. •Formulation of the target search as an optimization problem based on Bayesian theory.•Search conditions, sensor model and target dynamics are incorporated.•Introduction of a new motion-encoded particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm.•Comparison between MPSO and other PSO and metaheuristic algorithms.•Implementation of MPSO for real-world UAVs in various searching experiments.