Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen und Management

Reaching a Simulated Annealing Heuristic Solution to the Flying Sidekick Travelling Salesman Problem

Abstract

Rilome Suloo

The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is one of the most well-known and studied optimization problems in the field of operations research and computer science. It involves finding the shortest possible route that visits a set of cities and returns to the origin city. The Flying Sidekick Traveling Salesman Problem (FSTSP) is a fascinating extension of the classic TSP. In the FSTSP, the salesperson is equipped with a "flying sidekick," which can transport them between pairs of cities. This adds an intriguing dynamic to the problem, as the salesperson must decide when to use the sidekick for aerial travel and when to stick to conventional road travel. In this article, we explore the application of a simulated annealing heuristic to tackle the Flying Sidekick Traveling Salesman Problem. We'll delve into the problem's background, the simulated annealing approach, and how this powerful optimization technique can be harnessed to reach effective solutions for the FSTSP.