Constraint Programming Approach to Coverage-Path Planning for Autonomous Multi-UAV Infrastructure Inspection

Abstract

This article presents a constraint modeling approach to global coverage-path planning for linear-infrastructure inspection using multiple autonomous UAVs. The problem is mathematically formulated as a variant of the Min–Max K-Chinese Postman Problem (MM K-CPP) with multi-weight edges. A high-level constraint programming language is used to model the problem, which enables model execution with different third-party solvers. The optimal solutions are obtained in a reasonable time for most of the tested instances and different numbers of vehicles involved in the inspection. For some graphs with multi-weight edges, a time limit is applied, as the problem is NP-hard and the computation time increases exponentially. Despite that, the final total inspection cost proved to be lower when compared with the solution obtained for the unrestricted MM K-CPP with single-weight edges. This model can be applied to plan coverage paths for linear-infrastructure inspection, resulting in a minimal total inspection time for relatively simple graphs that resemble real transmission networks. For more extensive graphs, it is possible to obtain valid solutions in a reasonable time, but optimality cannot be guaranteed. For future improvements, further optimization could be considered, or different models could be developed, possibly involving artificial neural networks.