Centre the flock’s middle and size

0.0 s of 12 in the crop

Footprint the flock’s shape

0.0 s of 12 in the crop

Individual a forecast of every bird

0.0 s of 12 in the crop

Reactive no forecast at all

0.0 s of 12 in the crop

No drone 8.4 s of 12 in the crop

Fig. 5 — Four ways to keep a flock off a crop.

In these runs, forecasting every bird helps only with one fast drone, and only a little. With slow drones, the one that just keeps behind the flock does best.

Commands are instant here, though, and in the paper adding assumed computing delays shrinks that edge. It's a simplified 2D version of the paper's simulation, with simulated birds and planners that haven't flown yet.

When does flock prediction help UAV herding? →