View source for WP4-10

==Cooperative Planner==
{|class="wikitable"
|  ID|| WP4-10
|-
|   Contributor	|| ALMENDE
|-
|   Levels	|| Platform, Function
|-
|   Require	|| 
|-
|   Provide	|| Navigation goals, at Global-Planner level, shared among drones
|-
|   Input	|| ROS TF/map data, shared among multiple robots
|-
|   Output	|| ROS navigation goals, also shared among mutliple robots
|-
|   C4D building block		|| 
|-
|   TRL		|| 4
|-
|   Parent Building block		|| []
|-
| Contact || Ludo Stellingwerff: ludo at almende.org
|}

==Description==

This component provides support for cooperation between drones and rovers, on a (global) planning level. By sharing a drone's plans, in a standardized manner, more optimal group behavior can be achieved, through a group planner component. By designing this group planner through multi-agent techniques, this planner can be distributed over multiple robots.

==Improvements==

In the research fields of game-theory, multi-agent systems, and service orchestration, several strategies for cooperation have been developed. Most of these strategies have not yet been applied within a robotic environment, nor has there been much focus on cooperating robots. An exception to this is the field of Robotic Soccer and similar competitions and challenges, which apply voting-based planning through shared playbooks and role-assignment. This component allows trying out such algorithms and strategies for any ROS-based system, by extending the navigation stack with a cooperative planner, on top of the current standard local and global planner.

==Validation==

The concept behind the Cooperative planner has been tested through the graduation work of Vibhav Kedege. He looked into the challenge of having multiple agents work on a shared goal (in this case an exploration mission). He compared the theoretical optimal global, shared information model with a model in which the agents can only communicate with physical nearby agents (=other drones) and looked at how well the reduced effectiveness can be recovered. This showcases how an inherently distributed task/mission can be achieved by cooperative drones, even without the need for global knowledge.
[[File: CooperativePlannerExample.png|thumb|upright 2|center|Example of cooperation between drones]]
You can find the thesis about this work at: [[https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:4442f8a3-29d8-463d-8b82-3a6755c37255 Thesis on drone cooperation]]