FLighthouse: Python Development Framework for Multi-Agent Guidance and Path Planning for Unmanned Aerial Systems

This paper introduces FLighthouse, an open-source python [1] framework designed for development and testing of multi-agent guidance and path planning algorithms. FLighthouse is composed of three key components: SceneBuilder for intuitive 2D use case creation, guidance algorithms integration, and an execution module with visualization and post processing tools. The proposed framework can be used with a wide range of guidance and path planning algorithms and allows for execution and comparison of metrics for different guidance approaches. The framework supports execution in both simulation and real flights. The visualization tool is equipped with analysis tools for detailed interpretation of results. It can also provide real time feedback for immediate assessment. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated with three different example scenarios. Example cases demonstrate comprehensive use of the features and highlight the interoperability and compatibility of the framework. FLighthouse's minimal system requirements, necessitating only Python 3 and a few additional libraries, facilitate installation and ensure compatibility across a broad range of systems, enabling rapid development and testing of novel guidance methods.