Trajectory Optimization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Wireless Communication with Ground Terminals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kellen Oleksak ◽  
Yufei Wu ◽  
Megan Abella ◽  
Zhenbo Wang ◽  
Hao Gan
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Marcos Quiñones ◽  
Timothy Darrah ◽  
Gautam Biswas ◽  
Chetan Kulkarni

This paper presents a decision-making scheme at the level of individual unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the goal of maintaining safe operations for urban mobility. The decision-making approach for a single UAV will consider the risks associated with the current trajectory given the existing environmental conditions and the state of the vehicle. The proposed scheme combines the analysis of system performance, environmental conditions, and mission level parameters for contingency management, i.e., make a determination on: (1) to abort mission and land safely; (2) re-plan current mission in full or abbreviated form; and (3) change mission.  A path planning and trajectory optimization algorithm with the goal of minimizing the overall risk of mission failure by considering a number of factors such as the uncertainties in the environment and operating state of the vehicle is proposed. We will consider the mission failure as the loss of control of the vehicle resulting in a collision with other objects or a crash into the ground. An offline part of the framework generates an initial mission plan by considering the state of the vehicle, the environmental, conditions, and the static features of a map of the environment. Once the vehicle takes off, the risk of mission’ failure associated with the remaining trajectory is re-computed in an online framework to assess whether re-planning is required or not. A key challenge that we consider in this paper is to study the effects of multiple interacting subsystems of the UAV on system performance, especially under degraded conditions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-92
Author(s):  
E. A. Vinogradov

Not less than one hundred thousand Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are expected to perform flights simultaneously in Russia by 2035. The UAV fleet capacity triggers the development of the systems for informational support, operating control and management of UAV flights (Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) systems) similar to that one already operating in manned aviation. The challenges arising in the sphere of civil aviation cannot be solved without wireless communication. The goals of this article are as follows: 1) familiarization of communication experts with the latest scientific developments of unmanned aerial technologies 2) description of the telecommunication-related problems of extensive systems of UAV control encountered by development engineers. In this article a schematic architecture and main functions of UTM systems are described as well as the examples of their implementation. Special emphasis is put on enhancing flight safety by means of a rational choice of communication technologies to manage conflicts (Conflict Management) known as "collision avoidance". The article analyzes the application of a wide range of wireless technologies ranging from Wi-Fi and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) to 5G cellular networks as well as cell-free networks contributing to the development of 6G communication networks. As a result of the analysis, a list of promising research trends at the intersection of the fields of wireless communication and UAVs for civil application is made.


Author(s):  
Hang Guo ◽  
Wen-xing Fu ◽  
Bin Fu ◽  
Kang Chen ◽  
Jie Yan

With regard to the dynamic obstacles current unmanned aerial vehicles encountered in practical applications, an integral suboptimal trajectory programming method was proposed. It tackled with multiple constraints simultaneously while guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle to execute autonomous avoidance maneuver. The kinetics of both unmanned aerial vehicle and dynamic obstacles were established with appropriate hypotheses. Then it was assumed that the unmanned aerial vehicle was faced with terminal constraints and control constraints in the whole duration. Meanwhile, the performance index was established as minimum control efforts. The initial trajectory was generated according to optimized model predictive static programming. Next, the slack variables were introduced to transform the inequality constraints arising from dynamic obstacle avoidance into equality constraints. In addition, sliding mode control theory was utilized to determine these slack variables' dynamics by designing the approaching law of sliding mode. Then the avoidance trajectory for single or multiple dynamic obstacles was developed by this combined method. At last, a further trajectory optimization was conducted by differential dynamic programming. Consequently, the integral problem was solved step by step and numerical simulations demonstrated that the integral method possessed high computational efficiency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 941-962
Author(s):  
Zoran Miličević ◽  
Zoran Bojković

Introduction/purpose: This paper provides an overview of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from their early days to their integration into modern wireless networks. Methods: It analyzes, synthesizes and compares the UAVs development technologies throughout their history with significant aspects of their integration in wireless communication networks. Results: Important aspects of wireless communications as one of the key technologies for UAVs are presented. Next, energy efficiency as a research path for UAVs is considered. The paper also emphasizes the present state in this area as well as what the future of UAVs in communications will be. Conclusion: UAVs are important not only for widespread military usage in various combat operations and warfare environment, but also for other purposes such as their integration in 5G networks.


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