Title: 3D Pursuit-Evasion for AUVs,
Abstract: In this paper, we consider the problem of pursuit-evasion using multiple
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) in a 3D water volume, with and without
simple obstacles. Pursuit-evasion is a well studied topic in robotics, but the
results are mostly set in 2D environments, using unlimited line of sight
sensing. We propose an algorithm for range limited sensing in 3D environments
that captures a finite speed evader based on one single previous observation of
its location. The pursuers are first moved to form a maximal cage formation,
based on their number and sensor ranges, containing all of the possible evader
locations. The cage is then shrunk until every part of that volume is sensed,
thereby capturing the evader. The pursuers need only limited sensing range and
low bandwidth communication, making the algorithm well suited for an underwater
environment.