RflyUT-Sim: A Simulation Platform for Development and Testing of Complex Low-Altitude Traffic Control

TL;DR

RflyUT-Sim delivers a high-fidelity, modular simulation platform for low-altitude UAV traffic by combining RflySim/AirSim with Unreal Engine 5 and oblique photogrammetry to create realistic UAV dynamics and 3D maps. The architecture comprises four layers (service gateway, service, engine, virtualized resources) and supports comprehensive control, traffic management, UAV, and communication subsystems, plus hardware-in-the-loop testing and anomaly injection. It enables dynamic airway networks, scalable UAV swarms, and data-driven algorithm training, with rich interfaces for scenario design, control, and evaluation. Demonstrations show scalability to 100 UAVs and LiDAR-based obstacle avoidance, highlighting the platform's potential for research, development, and education in low-altitude traffic management.

Abstract

Significant challenges are posed by simulation and testing in the field of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) traffic due to the high costs associated with large-scale UAV testing and the complexity of establishing low-altitude traffic test scenarios. Stringent safety requirements make high fidelity one of the key metrics for simulation platforms. Despite advancements in simulation platforms for low-altitude UAVs, there is still a shortage of platforms that feature rich traffic scenarios, high-precision UAV and scenario simulators, and comprehensive testing capabilities for low-altitude traffic. Therefore, this paper introduces an integrated high-fidelity simulation platform for low-altitude UAV traffic. This platform simulates all components of the UAV traffic network, including the control system, the traffic management system, the UAV system, the communication network , the anomaly and fault modules, etc. Furthermore, it integrates RflySim/AirSim and Unreal Engine 5 to develop full-state models of UAVs and 3D maps that model the real world using the oblique photogrammetry technique. Additionally, the platform offers a wide range of interfaces, and all models and scenarios can be customized with a high degree of flexibility. The platform's source code has been released, making it easier to conduct research related to low-altitude traffic.

Figures (9)

• Figure 1: RflyUT-Sim simulation view
• Figure 2: Four layers of RflyUT-Sim
• Figure 3: RflyUT-Sim data flow diagram
• Figure 4: The simulation control interfaces of RflyUT-Sim
• Figure 5: The simulation scenario interfaces of RflyUT-Sim