Coverage Path Planning for Autonomous Sailboats in Inhomogeneous and Time-Varying Oceans: A Spatiotemporal Optimization Approach
Published in arXiv, 2026
本文面向动态风流场下无人帆船的区域覆盖难题，提出一种“双约束”优化框架：一方面通过空间形态调控约束保证覆盖区域紧凑且连续；另一方面通过时间前瞻规划利用气象预报信息，提前预判环境演化。不同于传统往复扫掠（boustrophedon）策略在性能各向异性与方向不可达条件下易受限甚至失效的情况，我们的方法能够在非结构化海洋环境中自适应处理机动与感知约束。通过随机海洋场景下的对比实验验证，该框架可生成显著更高效率的覆盖路径，为长航时海洋观测与未来多艇协同奠定实用基础。
This research addresses the area coverage challenges for autonomous sailboats operating under dynamic wind and current fields. We propose a dual-constrained optimization framework that combines spatial morphological regulation—ensuring compact and continuous coverage—with temporal look-ahead planning that leverages meteorological forecasts to anticipate environmental evolution. Unlike traditional boustrophedon sweeping, which is limited by anisotropic performance and directional inaccessibility, our approach adaptively manages maneuvering and sensing constraints in unstructured marine environments. Validated through comparative experiments in randomized ocean scenarios, the framework yields significantly more efficient coverage paths, establishing a practical foundation for long-duration ocean observation and future multi-sailboat collaboration.
Recommended citation: Yang An, Zhikang Ge, Taiyu Zhang, Jean-Baptiste RG Souppez, Gaofei Xu, and Zhengru Ren*. (2026). "Coverage Path Planning for Autonomous Sailboats in Inhomogeneous and Time-Varying Oceans: A Spatiotemporal Optimization Approach." arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.15901.
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