A survey of 3D Space Path-Planning Methods and Algorithms

Due to their agility, cost-effectiveness, and high maneuverability, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have attracted considerable attention from researchers and investors alike. Path planning is one of the practical subsets of motion planning for UAVs. It prevents collisions and ensures complete coverage of an area. This study provides a structured review of applicable algorithms and coverage path planning solutions in Three-Dimensional (3D) space, presenting state-of-the-art technologies related to heuristic decomposition approaches for UAVs and the forefront challenges. Additionally, it introduces a comprehensive and novel classification of practical methods and representational techniques for path-planning algorithms. This depends on environmental characteristics and optimal parameters in the real world. The first category presents a classification of semi-accurate decomposition approaches as the most practical decomposition method, along with the data structure of these practices, categorized by phases. The second category illustrates path-planning processes based on symbolic techniques in 3D space. Additionally, it provides a critical analysis of crucial influential approaches based on their importance in path quality and researchers’ attention, highlighting their limitations and research gaps. Furthermore, it will provide the most pertinent recommendations for future work for researchers. The studies demonstrate an apparent inclination among experimenters toward using the semi-accurate cellular decomposition approach to improve 3D path planning.