Optimal control and line‐of‐sight guidance formation flight

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to design an integrated guidance and control design for a formation flight of four unmanned aerial vehicles to follow a moving ground target.Design/methodology/approachThe guidance law is based on the line‐of‐sight. The control is optimal. The guidance law is integrated with the optimal control law and is applied to a linear dynamic model.FindingsThe theoretical results are supported by the numerical simulations that illustrate a coordinated encirclement of a ground maneuvering target.Research limitations/implicationsA linear dynamic UAV model and a liner engine model were employed.Practical implicationsThis is expected to provide efficient coordination technique required in many civilian circular formation UAV applications; also the technique can be used to provide a safe environment required for the civil applications.Social implicationsThe research will facilitate the deployment of autonomous unmanned aircraft systems in various civilian applications such as border monitoring.Originality/valueThe research addresses the challenges of coordination of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in a circular formation using an integrated optimal control technique with line‐of‐sight guidance.