Local multiresolution trajectory optimization for micro aerial vehicles employing continuous curvature transitions

Complex indoor and outdoor missions for autonomous micro aerial vehicles (MAV) require fast generation of collision-free paths in 3D space. Often not all obstacles in an environment are known prior to the mission execution. Consequently, the ability for replanning during a flight is key for success. Our approach locally optimizes trajectories of grid-based path planning. It preserves obstacle-freeness of the path and ensures smoothness with continuous curvature transition segments. Fast optimization and frequent reoptimization is made possible by means of local multiresolution time discretization. With our extensions, high dimensional flight trajectories incorporating velocities and accelerations can be planned with a time discretization of 100 Hz within the prediction horizon of the underlying controller.