Tier 4 Series 304

304D: The Swarm Grid

Pilot Record
Student Profile
"If 100 drones each check the position of the other 99 drones to avoid crashing, that is 10,000 checks per frame. The fleet CPU will melt. A Navigator uses Spatial Partitioning (Grid Hashing) to only check neighbors."

The Concept: Spatial Partitioning

Instead of checking everyone against everyone ($O(N^2)$), we divide the world into grid cells.

* **Registration:** Each drone tells the Grid which cell it is in.
* **Query:** "Who is in my cell?" (Checking 5 neighbors instead of 99).
* **Result:** Massive performance gain for flocks and swarms.
Red Flag Detected

The AI Trap: "The N-Squared Loop"

You ask the AI: "Make the drones avoid each other."

// AI-Generated Code: Exponential Lag
foreach(var droneA in allDrones) {
    foreach(var droneB in allDrones) {
        // Audit Fail: 100 * 100 = 10,000 Distance Checks!
        if (Vector3.Distance(droneA, droneB) < 1f) Avoid();
    }
}

This is "The N-Squared Catastrophe." Doubling the unit count Quadruples the CPU load.

Elite Telemetry

Research shows "Elite" teams achieve 15% faster lead times by keeping AI on a "very tight leash."

  • Small Batches Solving one problem at a time prevents logic drift.
  • Modular Design Localizing the "blast radius" of AI changes.
  • Tight Loops Rapid iteration with constant code review.

The Navigator's Correction

Corrective Protocol
// Corrected: O(N) Speed
var key = GetGridKey(transform.position);
foreach(var neighbor in spatialMap[key]) {
    Avoid(neighbor);
}
Your Pilot Command
> A skilled Navigator directs the AI to use a Spatial Hash.
Next Mission
Flocking Dynamics