Optimization and Mechanization of Periodic Flight
First Claim
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1. A machine-enabled method of periodic guidance for regulating an air vehicle about a periodic trajectory, the method comprising:
- generating a plurality of trajectories comprising time-dependent values including;
a time history of one or more vehicle control command values, a plurality of vehicle state values comprising at least one vehicle velocity value, and at least one vehicle altitude value; and
wherein the generating of the plurality of trajectories is based on minimizing a predicted fuel consumption per time value using a machine-executable vehicle model, wherein the machine-executable vehicle model includes a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient, and wherein the lift coefficient value and the drag coefficient value are based on a vehicle state value and a vehicle control command value;
generating the periodic trajectory from a portion of at least one of the plurality of generated trajectories comprising the time-dependent values, the periodic trajectory derivation based on a current vehicle state and a current vehicle mass; and
generating one or more air vehicle control system commands based on the output generated periodic trajectory comprising time-dependent values including at least the time history of one or more vehicle control command values.
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Abstract
The implementation of periodic flight for enhancing aircraft'"'"'s endurance or range is described having at least two components in the periodic flight embodiments. The first component is the trajectory optimization which determines the optimal periodic trajectory (such as altitude, velocity and flight path angle) that produces maximal endurance or range for a given fuel. The second component is the periodic guidance law which mechanizes the optimal periodic trajectory. For certain aircraft, periodic flight improves that aircraft'"'"'s endurance or range over steady state flight.
62 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A machine-enabled method of periodic guidance for regulating an air vehicle about a periodic trajectory, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of trajectories comprising time-dependent values including;
a time history of one or more vehicle control command values, a plurality of vehicle state values comprising at least one vehicle velocity value, and at least one vehicle altitude value; and
wherein the generating of the plurality of trajectories is based on minimizing a predicted fuel consumption per time value using a machine-executable vehicle model, wherein the machine-executable vehicle model includes a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient, and wherein the lift coefficient value and the drag coefficient value are based on a vehicle state value and a vehicle control command value;generating the periodic trajectory from a portion of at least one of the plurality of generated trajectories comprising the time-dependent values, the periodic trajectory derivation based on a current vehicle state and a current vehicle mass; and generating one or more air vehicle control system commands based on the output generated periodic trajectory comprising time-dependent values including at least the time history of one or more vehicle control command values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for operating an air vehicle along a periodic trajectory comprising:
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a navigation computing subsystem configured to estimate the plurality of vehicle states; a guidance computing subsystem having a computer processor and addressable member, the guidance computing subsystem configured to execute machine-readable instructions to; generate a plurality of trajectories comprising time-dependent values including at least;
a time history of one or more vehicle control command values, a plurality of vehicle state values comprising at least one vehicle velocity value, and at least one vehicle altitude value; and
wherein the generation of the plurality of trajectories is based on minimizing a predicted fuel consumption per time value using a machine-executable vehicle model, wherein the machine-executable vehicle model includes at least a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient, and wherein the lift coefficient value and the drag coefficient value are based on a vehicle state value and a vehicle control command value;generate the periodic trajectory from a portion of at least one of the plurality of generated trajectories comprising the time-dependent values, wherein the periodic trajectory generation is based on a current vehicle state and a current vehicle mass; and generate one or more air vehicle control system commands based on the output generated periodic trajectory comprising time-dependent values including the time history of one or more vehicle control command values. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A machine-enabled method of periodic guidance for regulating an air vehicle about a periodic trajectory, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of trajectories comprising time-dependent values including; a time history of one or more vehicle control command values, a plurality of vehicle state values comprising at least one vehicle velocity value, and at least one vehicle altitude value; and
wherein the generating of the plurality of trajectories is based on maximizing a predicted down range value using a machine-executable vehicle model, wherein the machine-executable vehicle model includes a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient, and wherein the lift coefficient value and the drag coefficient value are based on a vehicle state value and a vehicle control command value;generating the periodic trajectory from a portion of at least one of the plurality of generated trajectories comprising the time-dependent values, the periodic trajectory derivation based on a current vehicle state and a current vehicle mass; and generating one or more air vehicle control system commands based on the output generated periodic trajectory comprising time-dependent values including at least the time history of one or more vehicle control command values. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for operating an air vehicle along a periodic trajectory comprising:
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a navigation computing subsystem configured to estimate the plurality of vehicle states; a guidance computing subsystem having a computer processor and addressable member, the guidance computing subsystem configured to execute machine-readable instructions to; generate a plurality of trajectories comprising time-dependent values including at least;
a time history of one or more vehicle control command values, a plurality of vehicle state values comprising at least one vehicle velocity value, and at least one vehicle altitude value; and
wherein the generation of the plurality of trajectories is based on maximizing a predicted down range value using a machine-executable vehicle model, wherein the machine-executable vehicle model includes at least a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient, and wherein the lift coefficient value and the drag coefficient value are based on a vehicle state value and a vehicle control command value;generate the periodic trajectory from a portion of at least one of the plurality of generated trajectories comprising the time-dependent values, wherein the periodic trajectory generation is based on a current vehicle state and a current vehicle mass; and generate one or more air vehicle control system commands based on the output generated periodic trajectory comprising time-dependent values including the time history of one or more vehicle control command values. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification