Search results

1 – 10 of 345
Article
Publication date: 8 August 2016

Chethan Upendra Chithapuram, Aswani Kumar Cherukuri and Yogananda V. Jeppu

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new guidance scheme for aerial vehicles based on artificial intelligence. The new guidance scheme must be able to intercept maneuvering…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new guidance scheme for aerial vehicles based on artificial intelligence. The new guidance scheme must be able to intercept maneuvering targets with higher probability and precision compared to existing algorithms.

Design/methodology/approach

A simulation setup of the aerial vehicle guidance problem is developed. A model-based machine learning technique known as Q-learning is used to develop a new guidance scheme. Several simulation experiments are conducted to train the new guidance scheme. Orthogonal arrays are used to define the training experiments to achieve faster convergence. A well-known guidance scheme known as proportional navigation guidance (PNG) is used as a base model for training. The new guidance scheme is compared for performance against standard guidance schemes like PNG and augmented proportional navigation guidance schemes in presence of sensor noise and computational delays.

Findings

A new guidance scheme for aerial vehicles is developed using Q-learning technique. This new guidance scheme has better miss distances and probability of intercept compared to standard guidance schemes.

Research limitations/implications

The research uses simulation models to develop the new guidance scheme. The new guidance scheme is also evaluated in the simulation environment. The new guidance scheme performs better than standard existing guidance schemes.

Practical implications

The new guidance scheme can be used in various aerial guidance applications to reach a dynamically moving target in three-dimensional space.

Originality/value

The research paper proposes a completely new guidance scheme based on Q-learning whose performance is better than standard guidance schemes.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Computing and Cybernetics, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-378X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Julien Marzat

This note aims to introduce a terminal guidance law that is able to compensate for evasive target maneuvers without estimating their acceleration.

Abstract

Purpose

This note aims to introduce a terminal guidance law that is able to compensate for evasive target maneuvers without estimating their acceleration.

Design/methodology/approach

The new guidance law is derived in the framework of linear-quadratic optimal control to ensure interception with minimum energy even in the presence of a target maneuver.

Findings

An explicit closed-form expression for the missile acceleration command is provided, which turns out to be a non-trivial extension of proportional navigation guidance. Simulation results against evasive maneuvers of various intensities are provided to compare the new law to classical ones and thus show the benefits of the proposed approach.

Originality/value

The proposed guidance law was not reported so far in the literature and provides a simple way to deal with evasive maneuvers.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 89 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2006

Chaoyong Li, Wuxing Jing, Hui Wang and Zhiguo Qi

To study the application of three‐dimensional differential geometric (DG) guidance commands to a realistic missile defense engagement, and the application of the Newton's…

Abstract

Purpose

To study the application of three‐dimensional differential geometric (DG) guidance commands to a realistic missile defense engagement, and the application of the Newton's iterative algorithm to DG guidance problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The classical differential geometry theory is introduced firstly to transform all the variables in DG guidance commands from an arc length system to the time domain. Then, an algorithm for the angle‐of‐attack and the sideslip angle is developed by assuming the guidance curvature command and guidance torsion command equal to its corresponding value of current trajectory. Furthermore, Newton's iteration is utilized to develop iterative solution of the stated algorithm and the two‐dimensional DG guidance system so as to facilitate easy computation of the angle‐of‐attack and the sideslip angle, which are formulated to satisfy the DG guidance law.

Findings

DG guidance law is viable and effective in the realistic missile defense engagement, and it is shown to be a generalization of gain‐varying proportional navigation (PN) guidance law and performs better than the classical PN guidance law in the case of intercepting a maneuvering target. Moreover, Newton's iterative algorithm has sufficient accuracy for DG guidance problem.

Originality/value

Provides further study on DG guidance problem associated with its iterative solution.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 78 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2015

Hao Zhou, Tawfiqur Rahman and Wanchun Chen

– The purpose of this paper is to present a novel guidance law for hypervelocity descent to a stationary target such that the impact angle and impact velocity can be constrained.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel guidance law for hypervelocity descent to a stationary target such that the impact angle and impact velocity can be constrained.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method is based on inverse dynamics and is designed using a third-order Bézier curve approximation to the reference trajectory.

Findings

Simulations indicate that the proposed law is able to satisfy impact angle and impact velocity constraints as well as follow control and path limitations in the case of guidance under perturbations. Comparisons with other methods also indicate better performance.

Research limitations/implications

The onboard implementation requires an offline selection of Bézier parameters.

Practical implications

The presented scheme could be extremely important for further research on automated onboard control of impact angle and velocity for both re-entry and terminal guidance laws.

Originality/value

This paper presents an innovative method for the solution of an inverse dynamics-based guidance law using Bézier curve approximation.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, vol. 87 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 April 2017

Mandar Bhanudas Kamalaskar, S. Aditya Varma and Mangal Kothari

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new nonlinear guidance law to satisfy terminal impact-angle constraints against a stationary target in every possible planar…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new nonlinear guidance law to satisfy terminal impact-angle constraints against a stationary target in every possible planar surface-to-surface engagement scenario. The proposed guidance scheme is developed based on the geometry of a circular arc trajectory. The proposed guidance scheme is developed based on the geometry of circular arc trajectory. This trajectory is calculated based on the terminal impact angle and target range. The efficacy of the proposed guidance scheme is demonstrated through numerical simulations. The proposed scheme is compared with existing guidance schemes and relevant analysis is provided.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a new nonlinear guidance law to satisfy terminal impact-angle constraints against a stationary target in every possible planar surface-to-surface engagement scenario. The proposed guidance scheme is developed based on the geometry of a circular arc trajectory. This guidance scheme is further extended to moving targets.

Findings

The proposed guidance intercepts a stationary target with a smooth lateral acceleration command, which is desirable for realistic implementation. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated through numerical simulation. A comparative study with the existing algorithm is presented and it is shown that the proposed algorithm is better on many counts.

Originality/value

There are many approach exists in the literature for impact-angle guidance laws. The paper proposes a computationally efficient guidance law using geometric and kinematic properties. As the approach produces smooth command, it has a practical relevance. A comparative study shows superiority on some counts (miss distance, flight time, smoothness).

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Unmanned Systems, vol. 5 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-6427

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2018

Jian Hu, Naigang Cui, Yuliang Bai and Yunhai Geng

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel guidance law that is able to control the impact time while the seeker’s field of view (FOV) is constrained.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel guidance law that is able to control the impact time while the seeker’s field of view (FOV) is constrained.

Design/methodology/approach

The new guidance law is derived from the framework of Lyapunov stability theory to ensure interception at the desired impact time. A time-varying guidance gain scheme is proposed based on the analysis of the convergence time of impact time error, where finite-time stability theory is used. The circular trajectory assumption is adopted for the derivation of accurate analytical estimation of time-to-go. The seeker’s FOV constraint, along with missile acceleration constraint, is considered during guidance law design, and a switching strategy to satisfy it is designed.

Findings

The proposed guidance law can drive missile to intercept stationary target at the desired impact time, as well as satisfies seeker’s FOV and missile acceleration constraints during engagement. Simulation results show that the proposed guidance law could provide robustness against different engagement scenarios and autopilot lag.

Practical implications

The presented guidance law lays a foundation for using cooperative strategies, such as simultaneous attack.

Originality/value

This paper presents further study on the impact time control problem considering the seeker’s FOV constraint, which conforms better to reality.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 91 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Emre Kiyak

This study aims to present a method for the conceptual design and simulation of an aircraft flight control system.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to present a method for the conceptual design and simulation of an aircraft flight control system.

Design/methodology/approach

The design methodology is based on particle swarm optimization (PSO). PSO can be used to improve the performance of conventional controllers. The aim of the present study is threefold. First, it attempts to detect and isolate faults in an aircraft model. Second, it is to design a proportional (P) controller, a proportional derivative (PD) controller, a proportional-integral (PI) controller and a fuzzy controller for an aircraft model. Third, it is to design a PD controller for an aircraft using a PSO algorithm.

Findings

Conventional controllers, an intelligent controller and a PD controller-based PSO were investigated for flight control. It was seen that the P controller, the PI controller and the PD controller-based PSO caused overshoot. These overshoots were 18.5, 87.7 and 2.6 per cent, respectively. Overshoot was not seen using the PD controller or fuzzy controller. Steady state errors were almost zero for all controllers. The PD controller had the best settling time. The fuzzy controller was second best. The PD controller-based PSO was the third best, but the result was close to the others.

Originality/value

This study shows the implementation of the present algorithm for a specified space mission and also for study regarding variation of performance parameters. This study shows fault detection and isolation procedures and also controller gain choice for a flight control system. A comparison between conventional controllers and PD-based PSO controllers is presented. In this study, sensor fault detection and isolation are carried out, and, also, root locus, time domain analysis and Routh–Hurwitz methods are used to find the conventional controller gains which differ from other studies. A fuzzy controller is created by the trial and error method. Integral of squared time multiplied by squared error is used as a performance function type in PSO.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 88 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2024

He Du, Ming Yang, Songyan Wang and Tao Chao

This paper aims to investigate a novel impact time control guidance (ITCG) law based on the sliding mode control (SMC) for a nonmaneuvering target using the predicted interception…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate a novel impact time control guidance (ITCG) law based on the sliding mode control (SMC) for a nonmaneuvering target using the predicted interception point (PIP).

Design/methodology/approach

To intercept the target with the minimal miss distance and desired impact time, an estimation of time-to-go is introduced. This estimation results in a precise impact time for multimissiles salvo attack the target at the same time. Even for a large lead angle, the desired impact time is achieved by using the sliding mode and Lyapunov stability theory. The singularity issue of the proposed impact time guidance laws is also analyzed to achieve an arbitrary lead angle with the desired impact time.

Findings

Numerical scenarios with desired impact time are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed ITCG law. Comparison with the state-of-art impact time guidance laws proves that the guidance law in this paper can enable the missile to intercept the target with minimal miss distance and final impact time error. This method enables multiple missiles to attack the target simultaneously with different distances and arbitrary lead angles.

Originality/value

An ITCG law based on sliding mode and Lyapunov stability theory is proposed, and the switching surface is designed based on a novel estimation time-to-go for the missile to intercept the target with minimal miss distance. To intercept the target with initial arbitrary lead angles and desired impact time, the authors analysis the singular issue in SMC to ensure that the missile can intercept the target with arbitrary lead angle. The proposed approach for a nonmaneuvering target using the PIP has simple forms, and therefore, they have the superiority of being implemented easily.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 96 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Content available

Abstract

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 41 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2009

Ik Sang Shin, Sang‐Hyun Nam, Rodney Roberts and Seungbin Moon

The purpose of this paper is to provide a minimum time algorithm to intercept an object on a conveyor belt by a robotic manipulator. The goal is that the robot is able to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a minimum time algorithm to intercept an object on a conveyor belt by a robotic manipulator. The goal is that the robot is able to intercept objects on a conveyor line moving at a given speed in minimum time.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to formulate the problem, the robot and object‐arrival time functions were introduced, and conclude that the optimal point occurs at the intersection of these two functions. The search algorithm for finding the intersection point between the robot and object arrival time functions are also presented to find the optimal point in real‐time.

Findings

Simulation results show that the presented algorithm is well established for various initial robot positions.

Practical implications

A trapezoidal velocity profile was employed which is used in many industrial robots currently in use. Thus, it is believed that robot travel time algorithm is readily implemented for any commercially available robots.

Originality/value

The paper considers exhaustive cases where robot travel time functions are dependent upon initial positions of robotic end‐effectors. Also presented is a fast converging search algorithm so that real time application is more feasible in many cases.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 36 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

1 – 10 of 345