Path Planning for a Greener Air Traffic Operation using RRT-based Algorithm

Due to population explosion and immoderate industrialization, the impacts of the greenhouse effect are intensifying. To reduce emissions, the administration, air traffic management (ATM) institutions, airlines, and aircraft manufactures are committed to finding a more efficient and greener air traffic operation mode. The high precision trajectory-based operation (TBO) which puts forward the requirements of capability matching and coordination between aircraft and ATM systems has great potential. In this paper we present a RRT-based algorithm for the greener flight course planning. Algorithmic structure of the RRT is firstly introduced. We then illustrate the 3D workspace, constraints of the large civil aircraft, and obstacles in the path planning task. A 3D RRT algorithm is particularly developed for the path planning mission. Experimental tests using both simulated and real weather data are performed, which justifies the effectiveness of the RRT-based path planning algorithm developed in the paper.