Autonomous controller design for unmanned aerial vehicles using multi-objective genetic programming

Autonomous navigation controllers were developed for fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications using multiobjective genetic programming (GP). We designed four fitness functions derived from flight simulations and used multiobjective GP to evolve controllers able to locate a radar source, navigate the UAV to the source efficiently using on-board sensor measurements, and circle closely around the emitter. Controllers were evolved for three different kinds of radars: stationary, continuously emitting radars, stationary, intermittently emitting radars, and mobile, continuously emitting radars. We selected realistic flight parameters and sensor inputs to aid in the transference of evolved controllers to physical UAVs.