mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Navigation in a Three-Dimensional Urban Flow using Deep Reinforcement Learning

arXiv 2510.25679 ↗First posted 29 Oct 2025cs.AI physics.flu-dyncited by 0

On the map: Deep reinforcement learning methods → RL for robot navigation and UAV control

Abstract (arXiv)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly populating urban areas for delivery and surveillance purposes. In this work, we develop an optimal navigation strategy based on Deep Reinforcement Learning. The environment is represented by a three-dimensional high-fidelity simulation of an urban flow, characterized by turbulence and recirculation zones. The algorithm presented here is a flow-aware Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) combined with a Gated Transformer eXtra Large (GTrXL) architecture, giving the agent richer information about the turbulent flow field in which it navigates. The results are compared with a PPO+GTrXL without the secondary prediction tasks, a PPO combined with Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) cells and a traditional navigation algorithm. The obtained results show a significant increase in the success rate (SR) and a lower crash rate (CR) compared to a PPO+LSTM, PPO+GTrXL and the classical Zermelo's navigation algorithm, paving the way to a completely reimagined UAV landscape in complex urban environments.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in RL for robot navigation and UAV control, one of 15 directions in Deep reinforcement learning methods. Builds on 12 of its 45 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 Oct 2025.

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12 of 45 references.

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  1. 2024Navigation in a simplified Urban Flow through Deep Reinforcement Learning26 Sep

Other references · 11

  1. 2017Proximal Policy Optimization Algorithmscited by 15,215
  2. 2018Representation Learning with Contrastive Predictive Codingcited by 7,777
  3. 2018Soft Actor-Critic: Off-Policy Maximum Entropy Deep Reinforcement Learning with a Stochastic Actorcited by 4,885
  4. 2019Stabilizing Transformers for Reinforcement Learningcited by 270
  5. 2021A Review on Deep Learning in UAV Remote Sensingcited by 32
  6. 2021Learning Efficient Navigation in Vortical Flow Fieldscited by 26
  7. 2021A Vision Based Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithm for UAV Obstacle Avoidancecited by 10
  8. 2020Autonomous UAV Navigation: A DDPG-based Deep Reinforcement Learning Approachcited by 8
  9. 2021Learning-Based UAV Trajectory Optimization with Collision Avoidance and Connectivity Constraintscited by 3
  10. 2025Path Planning using Instruction-Guided Probabilistic Roadmapscited by 2
  11. 2024FR-SLAM: A SLAM Improvement Method Based on Floor Plan Registrationcited by 1

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  6. 2025Deep RL-based Autonomous Navigation of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) in a complex GPS-denied Indoor Environment
  7. 2024NavRL: Learning Safe Flight in Dynamic Environments
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