Time-Optimal Parameterization of Geometric Path for Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Yiming Zhao, Panagiotis Tsiotras · AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2010 · 2010
We propose a method for minimum-time travel along a prescribed geometric path for a fixed-wing aircraft subject to given state and control constraints. The method checks the feasibility of the path, namely, whether it is possible for the aircraft to travel along the path without violating any of the state or control constraints. If the path is feasible, the method subsequently finds a semi-analytical solution of the velocity profile to minimize the time of travel along the given path, while satisfying the prescribed control bounds. The optimal speed profile is used to time-parameterize the path, and subsequently generate the state and control histories via inverse dynamics. Two algorithms for generating the optimal velocity profile are proposed and are compared with existing time-optimal control algorithms. Numerical examples are presented to show the validity, numerical accuracy and optimality of the proposed method.