path-explore_skill

Overview

This skill performs one autonomous frontier-directed exploration episode. It selects the farthest reachable frontier cell from the agent's current internal map and attempts to approach it using incremental navigation primitives, then updates the map before returning results. The skill reports an outcome and the relative target it chose but does not accept external coordinates.

How this skill works

When invoked it queries the local frontier planner and, if none are found, retries allowing unknown space. It picks the frontier position with the largest Euclidean distance that is reachable according to the current map, then attempts to move toward that relative target using repeated 1-block nav-advance steps (up to 8 steps). After movement (or failure) it runs a multi-facing map update sweep and returns the outcome plus the selected target when applicable.

When to use it

• Explore unknown areas autonomously when you want the agent to pick targets itself.
• Incremental exploration where precise goal coordinates are not required.
• When map latency or local constraints mean external targets may be stale.
• Repeatedly call to gradually cover an environment.
• Handle situations where being boxed in should be reported as no_frontier.

Best practices

• Accept that targets are chosen internally; do not pass coordinates to this skill.
• Run multiple exploration episodes to improve coverage and recover from failed attempts.
• Monitor returned outcome to decide next action (reached, blocked, no_progress, no_frontier, status_failed).
• Use alongside global planning if you need guaranteed coverage or optimal paths.
• Treat no_frontier success as a normal signal that the agent is boxed in, not an error.

Example use cases

• Autonomously push the exploration frontier in a cave or building until no reachable frontiers remain.
• Kick off repeated short exploration steps as part of a higher-level exploration loop.
• Recover from stale external goals by letting the agent pick a fresh reachable target.
• Probe for reachable corridors or rooms when map coverage is sparse.
• Quickly test if there is any reachable frontier from the current position.