Vector Field Guidance for Path following of MAVs in Three Dimensions for Variable Altitude Maneuvers
Vaitheeswaran Sevoor Meenakshisundaram, Venkatanarayana K. Gundappa, B. Sashi Kanth · International Journal of Micro Air Vehicles · 2010
This paper uses the vector field approach to represent both the desired ground track heading and the vertical flight path angle to navigate unmanned aerial vehicles onto the desired path. The path following is realized in 3-dimensions, thus allowing the aircraft to navigate longitudinally as well as laterally, unlike the current approaches which require the aircraft to maintain a constant altitude. This results in an increase in the maneuverability (like overflying a hill) of the vehicle allowing it to navigate over various terrains and terrain following. Methods for following straight lines in 3-dimensional space are demonstrated through numerical simulations.