Cooperative Aerial Tracking and Rendezvous Along Time-Optimal 3-Dimensional Curves

Abstract

This paper describes a guidance method that enables an unmanned aircraft to execute a mid-air rendezvous with another aircraft flying along a known path. The method uses a vector field approach for following time-optimal, 3-dimensional Dubins airplane paths to a desired location. The desired flight path is mathematically defined as the intersection of two surface functions. The paper describes a method for deriving surface functions that result in the inclined straight line and helical flight paths that are required to fly these time optimal paths. A low computation cost, unconstrained optimization routine is presented that can be used to determine a time-optimal path that will result in the interception of another aircraft. Simulation results are provided for the intercept of an aircraft flying along an elliptical path.