Related papers: Why do launch trajectories end downwards
We consider the problem of optimizing the trajectory of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Assuming a traffic intensity map of users to be served, the UAV must travel from a given initial location to a final position within a given duration…
Efficient performance of a number of engineering systems is achieved through different modes of operation - yielding systems described as "hybrid", containing both real-valued and discrete decision variables. Prominent examples of such…
Model predictive control (MPC) is pervasive in research and industry. However, designing the cost function and the constraints of the MPC to maximize closed-loop performance remains an open problem. To achieve optimal tuning, we propose a…
Solving for the minimum time bounded acceleration trajectory with prescribed position and velocity at endpoints is a highly nonlinear problem. The methods and bounds developed in this paper distinguish when there is a continuous…
We apply advanced methods of control theory to open quantum systems and we determine finite-time processes which are optimal with respect to thermodynamic performances. General properties and necessary conditions characterizing optimal…
Model predictive control (MPC) has established itself as the primary methodology for constrained control, enabling general-purpose robot autonomy in diverse real-world scenarios. However, for most problems of interest, MPC relies on the…
The impact forces during switching operations of short-stroke actuators may cause bouncing, audible noise and mechanical wear. The application of soft-landing control strategies to these devices aims at minimizing the impact velocities of…
We present a path planning problem for a pursuer to intercept a target traveling on a circle. The pursuer considered here has limited yaw rate, and therefore its path should satisfy the kinematic constraints. We assume that the distance…
The Fighter problem with discrete ammunition is studied. An aircraft (fighter) equipped with $n$ anti-aircraft missiles is intercepted by enemy airplanes, the appearance of which follows a homogeneous Poisson process with known intensity.…
Aerocapture consists of converting a hyperbolic approach trajectory into a captured target orbit utilizing the aerodynamic forces generated via a single pass through the atmosphere. Aerocapture guidance systems must be robust to significant…
Complex engineering problems can be modelled as optimisation problems. For instance, optimising engines, materials, components, structure, aerodynamics, navigation, control, logistics, and planning is essential in aerospace. Metaheuristics…
In this paper we consider an optimal control problem in large time horizon and solve it numerically. More precisely, we are interested in an aerial vehicle guidance problem: launched from a ground platform, the vehicle aims at reaching a…
Convex optimization problems arising in applications often have favorable objective functions and complicated constraints, thereby precluding first-order methods from being immediately applicable. We describe an approach that exchanges the…
We study the tracking of a trajectory for a nonholonomic system by recasting the problem as an optimal control problem. The cost function is chosen to minimize the error in positions and velocities between the trajectory of a nonholonomic…
The oblique detonation engine (ODE) has established a clear superiority for hypersonic flight because of its high thermal efficiency and compact structure. It has become the research hot spot all over the world in recent years. The aim of…
This paper introduces a methodology for task-specific design optimization of multirotor Micro Aerial Vehicles. By leveraging reinforcement learning, Bayesian optimization, and covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy, we optimize…
In trajectory design, fuel consumption and trajectory reachability are two key performance indicators for low-thrust missions. This paper proposes general-purpose pretrained neural networks to predict these metrics. The contributions of…
This work puts forward a form finding problem of designing a least-volume vault that is a surface structure spanning over a plane region, which via pure compression transfers a vertically tracking load to the supporting boundary. Through a…
Rapidly generating an optimal chasing motion of a drone to follow a dynamic target among obstacles is challenging due to numerical issues rising from multiple conflicting objectives and non-convex constraints. This study proposes to resolve…
The rapid expansion of mega-constellations in low Earth orbits has posed significant challenges to space traffic management, necessitating periodic inspections of satellites to ensure the sustainability of the space environment when…