Integrated guidance and control framework for the waypoint navigation of a miniature aircraft with highly coupled longitudinal and lateral dynamics

TL;DR

This paper presents an integrated guidance and control framework for miniature aircraft that enables efficient waypoint navigation by combining guidance law with dynamic control, considering physical constraints and feasibility.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel integrated guidance and control approach for micro air vehicles, combining PPN guidance with a multivariable static output feedback controller within a unified framework.

Findings

Successful simulation on high-fidelity MAV model demonstrates effectiveness.

Handles minimum turn radius and waypoint reachability constraints.

Shows potential advantages over traditional multi-loop methods.

Abstract

A solution to the waypoint navigation problem for fixed wing micro air vehicles (MAV) is addressed in this paper, in the framework of integrated guidance and control (IGC). IGC yields a single step solution to the waypoint navigation problem, unlike conventional multiple loop design. The pure proportional navigation (PPN) guidance law is integrated with the MAV dynamics. A multivariable static output feedback (SOF) controller is designed for the linear state space model formulated in the IGC framework. The waypoint navigation algorithm handles the minimum turn radius constraint of the MAV. The algorithm also evaluates the feasibility of reaching a waypoint. Extensive non-linear simulations are performed on high fidelity 150 mm wingspan MAV model to demonstrate the potential advantages of the proposed waypoint navigation algorithm.