Time-Optimal Path Planning With Power Schedules for a Solar-Powered Ground Robot

This paper examines an integrated path planning and power management problem for a solar-powered unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The proposed method seeks to minimize the travel time of the UGV through an area of known energy density by designing a smooth, heuristically optimized path and allocating the vehicle's power among its electrical components, while the UGV harvests ambient energy along the designed path to satisfy with the mission's strict energy constraints. A scalar field is first established to evaluate the solar radiation density at discrete locations. A modified particle swarm optimization method is applied to search for a minimal time path wherein the energy gathered is equal to or greater than the energy expended. The proposed modeling and optimization strategy is verified through computer simulation and experimental demonstration.