Path-following algorithms comparison using Software-in-the-Loop simulations for UAVs
Daniel Martin Xavier, Silva Natassya B. F., Branco Kalinka R. L. J. C. · 2019
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are aircraft that can be autonomously operated and doesn't need a pilot aboard. Consequently, the autopilot is one of the main parts of an UAV, being responsible for stabilising the aircraft during the flight, executing navigation tasks and sensing the environment. Several path-following simulations for loiter paths are described in the literature, but most of them only consider the kinematics model of an aircraft. Therefore, this paper compares path-following algorithms for loiter paths in a more realistic scenario, using Software-in-the-Loop simulations and considering the dynamic model of the aircraft in the flight simulator X-Plane. The algorithms compared are: Carrot-Chasing, Pure Pursuit and Line-of-Sight (PLOS) and Non-Linear Guidance Law (NLGL). Lastly, a new algorithm (NLGL+) is proposed with a modification from the original algorithm and its results show smaller errors and less effort than all path-following algorithms.