Intercepting Rogue Robots: An Algorithm for Capturing Multiple Evaders With Multiple Pursuers

• Published in: IEEE robotics and automation letters Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 530 - 537
• Main Authors: Pierson, Alyssa, Zijian Wang, Schwager, Mac
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-04-2017
• Subjects: autonomous agents; Distributed robot systems; Drones; Games; path planning for multiple mobile robots or agents; Robot kinematics; Three-dimensional displays; Two dimensional displays; Wildlife
• ISSN: 2377-3766; 2377-3766
• DOI: 10.1109/LRA.2016.2645516

We propose a distributed algorithm for the cooperative pursuit of multiple evaders using multiple pursuers in a bounded convex environment. The algorithm is suitable for intercepting rogue drones in protected airspace, among other applications. The pursuers do not know the evaders' policy, but by using a global "area-minimization" strategy based on a Voronoi tessellation of the environment, we guarantee the capture of all evaders in finite time. We present a decentralized version of this policy applicable in two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D environments, and show in multiple simulations that it outperforms other decentralized multipursuer heuristics. Experiments with both autonomous and human-controlled robots were conducted to demonstrate the practicality of the approach. Specifically, human-controlled evaders are not able to avoid capture with the algorithm.