From 2D to 3D terrain-following area coverage path planning

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel 3D terrain-following area coverage path planning algorithm that generates multiple adjacent paths respecting machinery working width and height constraints, validated on real-world agricultural data.

Contribution

It extends 2D coverage path planning to 3D terrain, incorporating elevation data and local search for improved path generation in complex terrains.

Findings

Effective path planning on real-world 3D terrain data

Maintains consistent working width and height above terrain

Highlights complexities compared to 2D algorithms

Abstract

An algorithm for 3D terrain-following area coverage path planning is presented. Multiple adjacent paths are generated that are (i) locally apart from each other by a distance equal to the working width of a machinery, while (ii) simultaneously floating at a projection distance equal to a specific working height above the terrain. The complexities of the algorithm in comparison to its 2D equivalent are highlighted. These include uniformly spaced elevation data generation using an Inverse Distance Weighting-approach and a local search. Area coverage path planning results for real-world 3D data within an agricultural context are presented to validate the algorithm.