Aircraft Guidance Using a Virtual Leader for Moving Target Approach
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircrafts, particularly fixed-wing aircraft, face limitations in path following dynamics due to their inability to move directly laterally, leading to inefficient approaches to moving target points.
Innovation Solution
A guidance system that uses a virtual leader concept, where the aircraft follows a projected straight path to a moving target point, allowing for smoother and more efficient approaches by minimizing the need for frequent bank angle changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the aircraft continuously changes guidance input to track a dynamically moving target point, then the aircraft can maintain alignment with the desired approach path, but the guidance inputs vary wildly causing unstable and inefficient approach
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual leader as an intermediary between the aircraft and the moving target point. Instead of directly tracking the target point, the aircraft follows the virtual leader which moves smoothly toward the target. This intermediary filters out high-frequency changes in target position, providing stable intermediate guidance commands to the aircraft while still achieving accurate final alignment with the moving target point.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the aircraft turns by banking to follow a moving target point, then the aircraft can adjust its direction, but the inability to move directly laterally results in inefficient and oscillatory path following
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual leader is positioned ahead of the aircraft along the desired approach path, allowing the aircraft to anticipate future target positions and plan its path in advance. This preliminary positioning enables smoother, more efficient turns by reducing the need for reactive, oscillatory banking maneuvers, thereby improving path following efficiency while maintaining directional adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If the aircraft uses traditional guidance to directly approach a moving target point, then the aircraft can respond to target movement, but the frequent bank angle changes increase control variability and reduce approach smoothness
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual leader acts as a mediator that translates abrupt target point movements into smooth, gradual guidance commands. By following the virtual leader's smoother trajectory rather than directly tracking the target point, the aircraft maintains responsiveness to target movement while significantly reducing the variability and complexity of required flight control inputs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of guidance for an aircraft includes obtaining relative position data indicative of a direction from a location of the aircraft to a location of a moving target point. The method also includes determining, based on the relative position data, a location of a virtual leader based on projecting the location of the aircraft onto a virtual leader path, where the virtual leader path corresponds to a straight approach path to the location of the moving target point along a desired approach direction. The method further includes determining, based on the location of the virtual leader, a guidance input to cause the aircraft to follow the virtual leader.