Trajectory optimization of unmanned aerial vehicle in dynamic soaring

Abstract

An aircraft can extract energy from a gradient wind field by dynamic soaring. The paper presents trajectory optimization of an unmanned aerial vehicle for dynamic soaring by numerical analysis and validates the theoretical work through flight test. The collocation approach is used to convert the trajectory optimization problem into parameters optimization. The control and state parameters include lift coefficient, bank angle, positions, flight path angle, heading angle, and airspeed, which are obtained from the parameter optimization software. To validate the results of numerical simulation, the dynamic soaring experiment is also performed and experimental data are analyzed. This research work shows that the unmanned aerial vehicle can gain enough flight energy from the gradient wind field by following an optimal dynamic soaring trajectory. Meanwhile, the variation of flight path angle, heading angle, and airspeed has a significant influence on the energy transform. The solution can provide theoretical guide to unmanned aerial vehicles for extracting maximum energy from gradient wind fields.