2014/10/04 by Alejandro López-Ortíz, Lopez-Ortiz, Alejandro, Daniela Maftuleac +1 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Decision Sciences · #Advanced Bandit Algorithms Research #Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Optimization and Search Problems #Robotics (cs.RO)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1410.1077
openalex publication_date 2014/10/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We consider the problem of multiple agents or robots searching for a target in the plane. This is motivated by Search and Rescue operations (SAR) in the high seas which in the past were often performed with several vessels, and more recently by swarms of aerial drones and/or unmanned surface vessels. Coordinating such a search in an effective manner is a non trivial task. In this paper, we develop first an optimal strategy for searching with k robots starting from a common origin and moving at unit speed. We then apply the results from this model to more realistic scenarios such as differential search speeds, late arrival times to the search effort and low probability of detection under poor visibility conditions. We show that, surprisingly, the theoretical idealized model still governs the search with certain suitable minor adaptations.