Research on the Application of Geofence Buffer in UAV Path Tracking

In environments characterized by high complexity and dense obstacles, the actual flight trajectories of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) often deviate from the predetermined optimal paths, particularly when shortest path algorithms are utilized for route planning. This deviation is especially pronounced, thereby increasing the risk of collision with obstacles. To address this challenge, the concept of geofence buffer zones is introduced in this study. By establishing buffer areas of specific widths around obstacles and deploying artificial potential field functions within these areas, the existing path tracking algorithms are enhanced, significantly reducing the likelihood of collisions between UAVs and obstacles. Furthermore, a series of comparative experiments are conducted on multi-rotor UAVs in a virtually dense obstacle environment using software-in-the-loop simulation technology. The experimental conditions include no minimum speed limit, a set minimum speed limit, and various turning radii. The results quantitatively confirm the significant effectiveness of geofence buffer zones in obstacle avoidance. The findings of this research not only provide a new perspective on path planning and tracking for UAVs in complex environments but also offer theoretical support for enhancing their autonomous flight capabilities.