Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering

Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering

Automatic navigation of aerial robot based on obstacle avoidance using improved 3D vector field histogram algorithm

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
M. Navabi 1
Amirhossein Emtiyazipour 2
1 Faculty of New Technologies Engineering,, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of New Technologies Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jtae.2025.9.4.7
Abstract
In this paper, autonomous navigation of an aerial robot based on obstacle avoidance for outdoor applications has been developed. First, the dynamic model of a quadrotor as an aerial robot is presented using equations that determine linear and angular accelerations derived from Newton’s and Euler’s equations of motion. The performance of the quadrotor is then evaluated using transient response parameters such as settling time, rise time, and overshoot percentage. Subsequently, a linear Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controller is designed for altitude and attitude control of the quadrotor. To determine the optimal control gains, the criteria of Integral of Squared Error (ISE) and Integral of Absolute Error (IAE) are employed. Furthermore, for autonomous navigation of the quadrotor, an improved three-dimensional vector field histogram method is used to develop an obstacle avoidance algorithm. Through simulation, the validity of the developed dynamic model is first verified, followed by the implementation of the altitude and attitude controllers. The results show that the quadrotor achieves the desired altitude and attitude with favorable transient characteristics. Finally, the obstacle avoidance algorithm is simulated with distance thresholds of 0.5 meters and 1 meter from obstacles. The simulation results demonstrate that, with a one-meter threshold, the algorithm ensures autonomous navigation of the quadrotor without collisions. Therefore, the developed method can be suitable for outdoor environments with small obstacles,, and future work should extend obstacle range, address dynamic obstacles, and optimize efficiency for broader industrial and mission-oriented applications.
Keywords
Automatic navigation
Aerial robot
Obstacle avoidance algorithm 3D vector field histogram
PID Contorol
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 03 September 2025
  • Revise Date 11 November 2025
  • Accept Date 13 December 2025
  • First Publish Date 13 December 2025