ENERGY OPTIMAL GUIDANCE OF UAS IN TIME-VARYING 3-DIMENSIONAL WIND ENVIRONMENTS
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Authors
Lalumandier, Luke J.
Subjects
Optimal Guidance
ISR
UAS
UAV
Onboard Autonomy
Ultra-High Endurance Aircraft
Fuel Efficiency
Energy Efficiency
Pontryagin Maximum Principle
Optimal Control
ISR
UAS
UAV
Onboard Autonomy
Ultra-High Endurance Aircraft
Fuel Efficiency
Energy Efficiency
Pontryagin Maximum Principle
Optimal Control
Advisors
Dobrokhodov, Vladimir N.
Karpenko, Mark
Date of Issue
2023-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Increasing the fuel efficiency of military aircraft provides a tactical advantage to the aircraft operator. Increases in fuel efficiency in turn increase an aircraft’s time on station, allow higher payload capacity, expand operational range, and reduce operating costs. Since the performance increases from fuel-efficiency compound over time, high endurance aircraft, like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) unmanned aerial systems (UAS), are a particularly applicable class of aircraft for research. This paper presents an approach for accomplishing these fuel savings through the design of an energy-optimal trajectory planning algorithm. This is done by modeling the performance of a UAS and defining the power required to maintain flight as the cost function in three dimensions and time. The time and location-varying effects of air density and wind are included in this model. Then, using Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle, the problem becomes a boundary value problem, which is then numerically solved, generating the energy-optimal trajectory. This results in an energy-optimal trajectory solution that utilizes favorable atmospheric effects like tailwinds and updrafts, and avoids detrimental atmospheric effects, like headwinds.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Operational Energy Office
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.