Spatial-Semantic Reasoning using Large Language Models for Efficient UAV Search Operations

Abstract:We present a real-time semantic navigation framework for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) focused on improving time efficiency in the Object Goal Navigation (ObjectNav) task. Central to our approach is a Large Language Model (LLM) that interprets user-provided natural language instructions and performs semantic reasoning over detected objects and spatial context to prioritize high-probability search regions. The system combines real-time object detection, 3D spatial mapping, and polynomial spline interpolation for smooth and feasible UAV trajectory planning. Unlike prior methods that rely on offline reasoning or simulator-constrained action spaces, our framework can operate in real time, continuously updating semantic relevance based on new observations. Experiments in both simulated and real-world settings demonstrate reductions in mission duration while maintaining high search accuracy, underscoring the effectiveness of LLM-guided reasoning for time- efficient UAV-based ObjectNav.

8 pages, preprint, Published in: 2025 European Conference on Mobile Robots (ECMR), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ECMR65884.2025.11163229

Robotics (cs.RO); Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI)

arXiv:2608.28270 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2608.28270v1 [cs.RO] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2608.28270 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

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