Patent ID: 8612085

Claim:
A method comprising: obtaining a plurality of objectives relating to a maneuverable platform, wherein the objectives comprise mission related and non-mission related objectives and wherein the objectives are weighted in accordance with a grading scheme; receiving platform and obstacles data relating to at least one of: position, speed, and direction of said platform and of obstacles; determining a plurality of options of direction and speed for the platform; obtaining a plan for said at least one task defining the mission related objectives; autonomously selecting, one option of the plurality of options, in order to achieve said objectives, by calculating a weighted grade of each option based on the weights of the objectives and said grading scheme; and periodically repeating: (a) the receiving with updated platform and obstacles data and (b) the autonomously selecting with the updated platform and obstacles data, wherein the autonomously selecting is executed by a computer processor and includes determining whether said at least one task cannot be accomplished according to plan before selecting the preferred option, which includes, for each obstacle, calculating projected positions of the platform and of that obstacle to determine the distance between the platform and the obstacle at the closest point of approach and estimated time to arrive to the closest point of approach, and determining, with respect to an early reaction time and an avoidance distance suitable for that obstacle and the platform, whether that distance is smaller or greater than the avoidance distance.