A Saving Algorithm Approach to Flight Path Management for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
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Abstract
This study investigates the optimization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flight routes for transporting documents and books within the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy. A simulation was developed to reflect potential real-world UAV delivery operations, integrating
air traffic management principles to improve resource utilization and efficiency. A heuristic approach, specifically the Savings Algorithm, was applied to design optimal flight paths with the objective of minimizing total travel distance. Seven designated locations were identified as both pickup and drop-off points, subject to legal constraints. Route construction and savings calculations were performed using the Savings Algorithm in combination with Microsoft Excel. The results indicated that, when Node 1 was set as the starting point, the most efficient routes were Route 1 (1-8-9-7-4-3-1) and Route 2 (1-2-1). The greatest pairwise saving was observed between Node 8 and Node 9 (682.23 meters). By applying air traffic management concepts, the resulting flight patterns demonstrated improved efficiency, shorter travel distances, and faster delivery times. These findings suggest that the Royal Thai Air Force could adopt this routing framework as a practical guideline for document distribution within the organization, as well as adapt it to broader mission-related applications in the future.
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