Global Path Planning of Maritime Unmanned Vehicle Based on Real-time Environment Information

To make the global path better meet the movement characteristic of a Maritime Unmanned Vehicle (MUV), an algorithm based on electronic chart and A-star algorithm in static environment was presented on the basis of study and improvement of the global path planning algorithm of MUV based on grid environment model and A-star. Working space environment information of MUV was obtained using electronic chart. Aiming at improving the grid precision and A-star algorithm's search efficiency, a grid method was used to MUV's environment modeling based on a limited searching area. Present simulation result showed that the grid environment model based on limited search area and path planning algorithm could generate a safe, smooth, the shortest path for MUV.