README.md

Drone Path Navigation Using A* and Bellman-Ford Algorithms

Overview

This project explores drone navigation in both simulated and real-world environments using two popular pathfinding algorithms: A* and Bellman-Ford. The implementation demonstrates the application of these algorithms to compute optimal paths while considering obstacles and penalties.

Simulations were conducted using:

• MATLAB for grid-based environments.
• Python (with OpenStreetMap data) for large-scale geographical maps of any location.

Features

• A*: Fast, heuristic-driven pathfinding optimized for real-time applications.
• Bellman-Ford: Versatile algorithm capable of handling graphs with negative weights.
• Obstacle Avoidance: Dynamic penalty assignment for obstacle nodes.
• Visualization: Graphical representation of paths and obstacles.

Technologies Used

• Programming Languages: Python, MATLAB
• Python Libraries:
  • OSMnx: Map data extraction
  • NetworkX: Graph manipulation
  • Matplotlib: Visualization
  • Heapq: Priority queue implementation

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/souradeepdutta/Drone-Path-Navigation-Simulation.git

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd python

3. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

MATLAB

1. Open the MATLAB scripts in the MATLAB directory.
2. Run the Main.m to simulate pathfinding on a grid.

Python

1. Prepare your environment:
   • Ensure Python 3.x is installed.
   • Install dependencies using the command above.
2. Run the Python scripts:

   python A_star.py

   or

   python Bellman_Ford.py

3. Visualize the paths on maps of Chennai or Manhattan.
4. Your can modify the location according to your preference.

Experimental Setup

Environments

• Grid-based (MATLAB): 10x10 grid with predefined obstacles.
• Geographical Maps (Python): Road networks extracted using OpenStreetMap.

Obstacles

• High-weight nodes.
• Infinite-cost edges.
• Dynamic penalties for obstacle avoidance.

Performance Metrics

• Computational Time: Measured in seconds.
• Path Length: Measured in number of nodes.

Results

• A*: Faster computation due to heuristic-driven approach.
• Bellman-Ford: More versatile but slower in complex environments.

Example Visualizations

Chennai, India

Manhattan, USA

Architecture Diagrams

Matlab Simulations

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.