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Experimental Investigation Of Stochastic Parafoil Guidance Using A Graphics Processing Unit, Nathan Slegers, Andrew Brown, Jonathan Rogers
Experimental Investigation Of Stochastic Parafoil Guidance Using A Graphics Processing Unit, Nathan Slegers, Andrew Brown, Jonathan Rogers
Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering
Control of autonomous systems subject to stochastic uncertainty is a challenging task. In guided airdrop applications, random wind disturbances play a crucial role in determining landing accuracy and terrain avoidance. This paper describes a stochastic parafoil guidance system which couples uncertainty propagation with optimal control to protect against wind and parameter uncertainty in the presence of impact area obstacles. The algorithm uses real-time Monte Carlo simulation performed on a graphics processing unit (GPU) to evaluate robustness of candidate trajectories in terms of delivery accuracy, obstacle avoidance, and other considerations. Building upon prior theoretical developments, this paper explores performance of the …
Terminal Guidance Of Autonomous Parafoils In High Wind-To-Airspeed Ratios, Nathan Slegers, O A. Yakimenko
Terminal Guidance Of Autonomous Parafoils In High Wind-To-Airspeed Ratios, Nathan Slegers, O A. Yakimenko
Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering
Autonomous precision placement of parafoils is challenging because of their limited control authority and sensitivity to winds. In particular, when wind speed is near the airspeed, guidance is further complicated by the parafoils inability to penetrate the wind. This article specifically addresses the terminal phase and develops an approach for generating optimal trajectories in real-time based on the inverse dynamics in the virtual domain. The method results in efficient solution of a two-point boundary-value problem using only a single optimization parameter allowing the trajectory to be generated at a high rate, mitigating effects of the unknown winds. It is shown …