An efficient Quasi-Affine Transformation Evolutionary algorithm with fixed dimension updating and its application in UAV 3D path planning

Abstract

Quasi-Affine Transformation Evolutionary (QUATRE) algorithm is a kind of swarm-based collaborative optimization algorithm that solves the problem of a position deviation in a DE search by using the co-evolution matrix M instead of the cross-control parameter CR in the differential evolution algorithm (DE). However, QUATRE shares some of the same weaknesses as DE, such as premature convergence and search stagnation. Inspired by the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC), we propose a new QUATRE algorithm to improve these problems that ranks all the individuals and evolves only the poorer half of the population. In an evolving population, individuals of different levels intersect with dimensions of different sizes to improve search efficiency and accuracy. In addition, we establish a better selection framework for the parent generation individuals and select more excellent parent individuals to complete the evolution for the individuals trapped in search stagnation. To verify the performance of the new QUATRE algorithm, we divide the comparison algorithm into three groups, including ABC variant group, DE variant group, and QUATRE variant group, and the CEC2014 test suite is used for the comparison. The experimental results show the new QUATRE algorithm performance is competitive. We also successfully apply the new QUATRE algorithm on the 3D path planning of UAV, and compared with the other famous algorithm performance it is still outstanding, which verifies the algorithm’s practicability.