Input Matrix Optimization for Desired Reachable Set Warping of Linear Systems

Shaping the reachable set of a dynamical system is a fundamental challenge in control design, with direct implications for both performance and safety. This paper considers the problem of selecting the optimal input matrix for a linear system that maximizes warping of the reachable set along a direction of interest. The main result establishes that under certain assumptions on the dynamics, the problem reduces to a finite number of linear optimization problems. When these assumptions are relaxed, we show heuristically that the same approach yields good results. The results are validated on two systems: a linearized ADMIRE fighter jet model and a damped oscillator with complex eigenvalues. The paper concludes with a discussion of future directions for reachable set warping research.