Multivehicle Control in a Strong Flowfield with Application to Hurricane Sampling

Abstract

cially pertinent in the application of unmanned aircraft used for collecting targeted observations in a hurricane. The presence of such a oweld may inhibit a vehicle from making forward progress relative to a ground-xed frame, thus limiting the directions in which it can travel. Using a selfpropelled particle model in which each particle moves at constant speed relative to the ow, this paper presents results for motion coordination in a strong, known oweld. We present the particle model with respect to inertial and rotating reference frames and provide for each case a set of conditions on the oweld that ensure trajectory feasibility. Results from the Lyapunov-based design of decentralized control algorithms are presented for circular, folium, and spirograph trajectories, which are selected for their potential use as hurricane sampling trajectories. The theoretical results are illustrated using numerical simulations in an idealized hurricane model.