Collision avoidance in biological systems using collision cones

The focus of the work in this paper is the comparison of a mathematical deconfliction algorithm to biological data in a range of species that demonstrate agile flight beyond the current capabilities of engineered systems. The algorithm was tailored to two coordinate systems, global and body relative, and two velocity changing criteria, constant and variable speed. Three species of animals were considered: fish, birds and bats. Overall, strong correlations were found between the data and the algorithm in two of the species with data indicating a bias toward a body-fixed coordinate system with variable speed maneuvering. Results also suggested future development of a fully three dimensional algorithm rather than the planar version considered here.