Multi-UAV-based Optimal Crop-dusting of Anomalously Diffusing Infestation of Crops

Abstract: This paper presents a UAV-based optimal crop-dusting method to control anomalously diffusing infestation of crops. Two anomalous diffusion models are considered, which are, respectively, time-fractional order diffusion equation and space-fractional order diffusion equation. Our problem formulation is motivated by real-time pest management by using networked unmanned cropdusters where the pest spreading is modeled as a fractional diffusion equation. We attempt to solve the optimal dynamic location of actuators by using Centroidal Voronoi Tessellations. A new simulation platform (FO-DiffMAS-2D) for measurement scheduling and controls in fractional order distributed parameter systems is also introduced in this paper. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method as well as the role of fractional order in the overall control performance.