A Path Planning Model for Intercepting a Moving Target with Finite Obstacle Avoidance

This paper investigates the problem of computing a two-dimensional optimal curvature straight line (CS) shortest path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to intercept a moving target, with both the UAV (pursuer) and target travelling at constant speeds. We formulate an optimal control problem that integrates two critical objectives: avoiding static obstacles and successfully intercepting the target. The approach introduces constraints derived from obstacle avoidance and target interception requirements. A geometric framework is developed, along with sufficient conditions for path optimality under the imposed constraints. The problem is initially examined in the presence of a single obstacle and later extended to scenarios involving a finite number of obstacles. Numerical experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance and efficiency of the proposed model using illustrative examples. Finally, we present a realistic case study using actual geographic data, including obstacle placement, target trajectory, and heading angles, to demonstrate the practical applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method in real-world scenarios.