This research is to select a path planning algorithm to maximize survivability for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV). An UAV is a powered pilotless aircraft, which is controlled remotely or autonomously. UAVs are currently employed in many military missions(surveillance, reconnaissance, communication relay, targeting, strike etc.) and a number of civilian applications(communication service, broadcast service, traffic control support, monitoring, measurement etc.). In this research, a mathematical programming model is suggested by using MRPP(Most Reliable Path Problem) and verified by using ILOG CPLEX. A path planning algorithm for UAV is selected by comparing of SPP(Shortest Path Problem) algorithms which transfer MRPP into SPP.

RRT* (Rapidly exploring Random Tree*) based algorithms are widely used for path planning. Informed RRT* uses RRT* for generating an initial path and optimizes the path by limiting sampling regions to the area around the initial path. RRT* algorithms have several limitations such as slow convergence speed, large memory requirements, and difficulties in finding paths when narrow aisles or doors exist. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to deal with these problems. The proposed algorithm applies the image skeletonization to the gridmap image for generating an initial path. Because this initial path is close to the optimal cost path even in the complex environments, the cost can converge to the optimum more quickly in the proposed algorithm than in the conventional Informed RRT*. Also, we can reduce the number of nodes and memory requirement. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified by comparison with the conventional Informed RRT* and Informed RRT* using initial path generated by A*.

A* algorithm is a global path generation algorithm, and typically create a path using only the distance information. Therefore along the path, a moving vehicle is usually not be considered by driving characteristics. Deceleration at the corner is one of the driving characteristics of the vehicle. In this paper, considering this characteristic, a new evaluation function based path algorithm is proposed to decrease the number of driving path corner, in order to reduce the driving cost, such as driving time, fuel consumption and so on. Also the potential field method is applied for driving of UGV, which is robust against static and dynamic obstacle environment during following the generated path of the mobile robot under. The driving time and path following test was occurred by experiments based on a pseudo UGV, mobile robot in downscaled UGV’s maximum and driving speed in corner. The experiment results were confirmed that the driving time by the proposed algorithm was decreased comparing with the results from A* algorithm.

This paper briefly reviews the path planning methods that are applicable to the autonomous mobile robots for the military. Two distinct path search algorithms, A* and D* that are most popular and flexible in public applications, among those reviewed are coded and analyzed in terms of combat environment assessment factors called METT+TC for the area of operations. The results imply that it is important to consider the characteristics of defense acquisition process and the specific requirements of defense operation so that the successful technology development of the Robot products is directly linked to the defense procurement of Robot products.