Multi-UAV trajectory planning for 3D visual inspection of complex structures

This paper presents trajectory planning for three-dimensional autonomous multi-UAV volume coverage and visual inspection based on the Heat Equation Driven Area Coverage (HEDAC) algorithm. The method designs a potential field to achieve the target density and generate trajectories using potential gradients to direct UAVs to regions of a higher potential. Collisions are prevented by implementing a distance field and correcting the agent's directional vector if the distance threshold is reached. The method is successfully tested for volume coverage and visual inspection of complex structures such as wind turbines and a bridge. For visual inspection, the algorithm is supplemented with camera direction control. A field containing the nearest distance from any point in the domain to the structure is designed and this field's gradient provides the camera orientation throughout the trajectory. The bridge inspection test case is compared with a state-of-the-art method where the HEDAC algorithm allowed more surface area to be inspected under the same conditions. The limitations of the HEDAC method are analyzed, focusing on computational efficiency and adequacy of spatial coverage to approximate the surface coverage. The proposed methodology offers flexibility in various setup parameters and is applicable to real-world inspection tasks.