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Planning

Sebastian Thrun, Andy Brown, Jake Lussier, Raffaello D'Andrea, Angela Schoellig, Nicholas Roy, and Sergei Lupashin

Flying robots must traverse complex, dynamic environments. Wind, obstacles, unreliable sensor data, and other randomness all present significant challenges. In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of aerial path planning. You will begin with 2D problems, optimize your solutions using waypoints, and then scale your solutions to three dimensions. You will apply these skills in your second project—autonomously navigating your drone through a dense urban environment.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Solving the planning problem really comes down performing search through a state space to find a path from a start state to a goal state and here you'll get a chance to do just that!

Your vehicle has a physical size and orientation in the world and here you'll learn how to think about position and orientation as part of your planning solution.

Graphs are really just a way of describing how your search space is connected. Here you'll learn about the tradeoffs between grids and graphs and each can be used in your planning representation.

Here you'll make the leap from two dimensions to three dimensions and discover how you can use different representations of your search space to optimize your planning solution.

In this lesson, you'll dive deep into some advanced concepts that are crucial to motion planning in the real world, where a consideration for physics and preparedness for the unexpected are crucial.

In this project, you'll get a chance to apply what you've learned about 3D motion planning from the last several lessons to plan and execute a mission in a complex urban environment!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Applies these skills in a second project, autonomously navigating your drone through a dense urban environment

Taught by Sebastian Thrun, Andy Brown, Jake Lussier, Raffaello D'Andrea, Angela Schoellig, Nicholas Roy, and Sergei Lupashin, all recognized for their work in robotics

Useful for a career in robotics engineering and relevant for professionals in the industry

Examines advanced concepts crucial to motion planning in the real world

Emphasizes applying these skills in your project to create a mission in a complex urban environment

Requires students to have a background in 2D and 3D motion planning

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Planning with these activities:

Review Calculus and Linear Algebra

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Solidify your understanding of mathematical concepts that are essential for motion planning.

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Review core concepts of calculus, including derivatives, integrals, and differential equations.
Brush up on linear algebra concepts, such as vector spaces, matrices, and transformations.
Apply these concepts to solve motion planning problems.

Mentor Junior Robotics Enthusiasts

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Enhance your communication and leadership skills while making a positive impact by mentoring students interested in robotics.

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Identify opportunities to mentor at schools, clubs, or online forums.
Develop a structured mentoring plan to support your mentees' learning.
Provide guidance and feedback on their projects and assignments.
Encourage your mentees to participate in competitions and outreach events.

Develop a Visual Guide to Motion Planning Algorithms

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Enhance your understanding and explain motion planning algorithms effectively by creating visual content.

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Choose one or more motion planning algorithms.
Design and create visual representations of the algorithms, such as diagrams, animations, or simulations.
Write clear and concise explanations to accompany the visuals.
Share your guide with others through a blog post, online forum, or video platform.

Three other activities

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Practice Aerial Path Planning

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Reinforce your understanding of aerial path planning by solving practice problems and simulations.

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Set up a simulation environment for motion planning.
Generate a set of waypoints for your drone to navigate.
Implement a planning algorithm to compute a path between the waypoints.
Simulate the drone's motion along the planned path and analyze the results.
Iterate on your algorithm and waypoints to optimize the drone's path.

Explore Advanced Motion Planning Techniques

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Expand your understanding of motion planning by exploring advanced techniques that are crucial for real-world applications.

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Review the basics of nonlinear optimization.
Learn about sampling-based planning algorithms such as RRT and PRM.
Apply these algorithms to complex planning scenarios, such as navigating in constrained environments.
Compare the performance of different motion planning techniques.

Develop an Aerial Navigation System

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Challenge yourself by designing and implementing a complete aerial navigation system for drones, putting your learning into practice.

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Define the requirements and specifications for the navigation system.
Design the architecture of the system, including sensors, actuators, and control algorithms.
Implement and test the system components individually.
Integrate the components into a complete navigation system.
Evaluate the system's performance in real-world environments.

Career center

Learners who complete Planning will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Management Consultant

Management Consultants help businesses improve their performance. They work in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. This course may be useful for Management Consultants who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to think about position and orientation as part of their planning solution and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve problems. They work in a variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, and marketing. This course may be useful for Data Scientists who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to solve the planning problem and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analysts use mathematical and analytical techniques to solve problems in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. This course may be useful for Operations Research Analysts who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to use graphs to describe their search space and how to consider physics and prepare for the unexpected when planning.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Statistician

Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret data. They work in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, and marketing. This course may be useful for Statisticians who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to solve the planning problem and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, build, and maintain software systems. They work in a variety of industries, including software development, web development, and mobile development. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to think about position and orientation as part of their planning solution and how to use different representations of their search space to optimize their planning solution.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts provide financial advice to individuals and businesses. They work in a variety of industries, including banking, investment management, and insurance. This course may be useful for Financial Analysts who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to solve the planning problem and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Actuary

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical techniques to assess risk. They work in a variety of industries, including insurance, finance, and healthcare. This course may be useful for Actuaries who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to consider physics and prepare for the unexpected when planning.

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Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineers design, build, and maintain machines. They work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, and energy. This course may be useful for Mechanical Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to use different representations of their search space to optimize their planning solution.

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Psychologist

Psychologists study the human mind and behavior. They work in a variety of industries, including healthcare, education, and business. This course may be useful for Psychologists who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to solve the planning problem and how to consider physics and prepare for the unexpected when planning.

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Economist

Economists study the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. They work in a variety of industries, including government, academia, and business. This course may be useful for Economists who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to think about position and orientation as part of their planning solution and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Economist

Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace Engineers design, build, and test aircraft, spacecraft, and other related vehicles. They work in a variety of industries, including the military, aviation, and space exploration. This course may be useful for Aerospace Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to optimize their solutions using waypoints and scale their solutions to three dimensions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Aerospace Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineers design, build, and maintain electrical systems. They work in a variety of industries, including power generation, telecommunications, and manufacturing. This course may be useful for Electrical Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to consider physics and prepare for the unexpected when planning.

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Robotics Engineer

Robotics Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining robots. They work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and space exploration. This course may be useful for Robotics Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to solve the planning problem, think about position and orientation as part of their planning solution, and use graphs to describe how their search space is connected.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Computer Engineer

Computer Engineers design, build, and maintain computer systems. They work in a variety of industries, including software development, hardware manufacturing, and networking. This course may be useful for Computer Engineers who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to use graphs to describe their search space and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Engineer

Sociologist

Sociologists study the structure and organization of society. They work in a variety of industries, including government, academia, and business. This course may be useful for Sociologists who want to learn more about aerial path planning. The course will teach them how to think about position and orientation as part of their planning solution and how to optimize their solutions using waypoints.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sociologist

Reading list

We've selected 18 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Planning.

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Provides a comprehensive overview of planning algorithms, including a detailed discussion of search-based planning, sampling-based planning, and optimization-based planning. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the theory and practice of planning.

Planning

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Activities

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