A unified approach to fixed-wing aircraft path following guidance and control

TL;DR

This paper presents a unified control framework for fixed-wing aircraft path following, combining guidance and control laws based on a generic aerodynamic model, validated through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a coherent approach integrating guidance and control for fixed-wing aircraft using a simple aerodynamic model, applicable to various 3D paths.

Findings

Control laws are theoretically stable and convergent.

Validated through hardware-in-the-loop simulations.

Applicable to a wide range of 3D paths.

Abstract

This paper addresses the path following control problem for scale-model fixed-wing aircraft. Kinematic guidance and dynamic control laws are developed within a single coherent framework that exploits a simple generic model of aerodynamics forces acting on the aircraft and applies to almost all regular 3D paths. The proposed control solutions are derived on the basis of theoretical stability and convergence analyses. They are complemented by addressing several practical issues, and validated via realistic hardware-in-the-loop simulations.