Autonomous Formation Systems: Guidance, Dynamics and Control

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerospace Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 4186

Special Issue Editors

Associate Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: satellite formation/cluster dynamics and control; satellite constellation design and control; drag-free satellite mechanics and control
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Associate Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: astrodynamics; spacecraft relative motion; satellite formation flying; asteroid exploration; trajectory design and optimization
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School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Interests: spacecraft dynamics and control; asteroid exploration; multi-agent systems
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Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
Interests: robotics; navigation; optimal filtering; orbit determination; hybridization theory
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Autonomous formation systems have made several previously difficult missions possible, as well as enhanced the quality of many existing missions. A formation system comprising multiple members not only inherits the challenges encountered by a single-member system, but there are also new concerns to address in order to achieve cooperation. Multiple spacecraft formations, for example, are engaged in the dynamical coupling of orbit and attitude throughout flight, as are large-scale systems with communication time delays, etc.

This Special Issue aims to collect broad research findings in autonomous formation systems, including the topics of guidance, dynamics, control, planning, and decision making. We are especially interested in recent studies involving multi-body autonomous systems. We invite submissions of papers on all relevant topics, including in the fields of aerospace, robotics, and aircraft.

Dr. Jihe Wang
Dr. Wei Wang
Dr. Chengxi Zhang
Dr. Ran Sun
Dr. Jin Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • spacecraft formation, constellation systems
  • robotics, aircraft systems
  • mission management and trajectory planning
  • guidance, dynamics, and control
  • swarm intelligence of networked systems

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 12525 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Stochastic Properties of MEMS Accelerometers and Gyroscopes Used in the Miniature Flight Data Recorder
by Paweł Rzucidło, Grzegorz Kopecki, Piotr Szczerba and Piotr Szwed
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14031121 - 29 Jan 2024
Viewed by 627
Abstract
MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) gyroscopes and accelerometers are used in several applications. They are very popular due to their small size, low price, and accessibility. The design of MEMS accelerometers enables the measurement of vibrations, with frequencies from tenths of hertz to even 1 [...] Read more.
MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) gyroscopes and accelerometers are used in several applications. They are very popular due to their small size, low price, and accessibility. The design of MEMS accelerometers enables the measurement of vibrations, with frequencies from tenths of hertz to even 1 kHz. MEMS gyroscopes can be applied to measure angular rates, and indirectly also angular oscillations with frequencies similar to accelerometers. Despite significant stochastic errors, MEMS sensors are used not only in popular domestic appliances (e.g., smartphones) but also in safety-critical units, such as aeronautical attitude and heading reference systems (AHRSs). In engineering, methods of stochastic properties analysis are important tools for sensor selection, verification, and the design of measurement algorithms. In this article, three methods used for the analysis of stochastic properties of sensors are presented and comparative analyses are shown. The applied measurement frequencies (1 kHz) were much higher than those typically found in MEMS sensor applications. Additionally, an exemplary analysis of temperature drift frequency, as well as the possibility for the synthesis of complementary filter parameters with the use of the described methods, is shown. Assessment of the stochastic properties of MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes was performed under both constant and variable temperature conditions (during warm-up after switching on) with the use of classic methods, such as power spectral density (PSD) and Allan variance (AV), as well as the less known but very promising generalized method of wavelet moments (GMWM). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous Formation Systems: Guidance, Dynamics and Control)
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13 pages, 2509 KiB  
Article
A Model-Free Online Learning Control for Attitude Tracking of Quadrotors
by Lining Tan, Guodong Jin, Shuhua Zhou and Lianfeng Wang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 980; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14030980 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 582
Abstract
This paper investigates the problem of attitude tracking in quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using a model-free online learning control (MFOLC) scheme. The attitude system, which is represented by unit quaternions, is considered in the presence of uncertain and unknown inertia parameters, time-varying [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the problem of attitude tracking in quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using a model-free online learning control (MFOLC) scheme. The attitude system, which is represented by unit quaternions, is considered in the presence of uncertain and unknown inertia parameters, time-varying external disturbances, and angular velocity measurement noise. A computationally low-cost control scheme consisting of a model-free baseline controller and a module capable of learning from previous control input is designed. The proposed controller does not require precise inertial parameters and does not involve feedforward terms that use these parameters and true system states. This ensures that the approach can protect the control effort from sensor noise as well as parameter uncertainty. We also show that all the signals in the closed-loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded. Comparative simulations and real-world experiments are conducted for validation, which demonstrate the effectiveness and fine performance of the proposed scheme. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous Formation Systems: Guidance, Dynamics and Control)
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17 pages, 3377 KiB  
Article
Development of Adaptive Control System for Aerial Vehicles
by Vladimir Beliaev, Nadezhda Kunicina, Anastasija Ziravecka, Martins Bisenieks, Roberts Grants and Antons Patlins
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12940; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app132312940 - 04 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1182
Abstract
This article represents and compares two control systems for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV): a sliding proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller and an adaptive L1 controller. The goal is to design a high-performing and stable control system for a specific [...] Read more.
This article represents and compares two control systems for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV): a sliding proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller and an adaptive L1 controller. The goal is to design a high-performing and stable control system for a specific VTOL drone. The mathematical model of the unique VTOL drone is presented as a control object. The sliding PID and adaptive L1 controllers are then developed and simulated, and their performance is compared. Simulation results demonstrate that both control systems achieve stable and accurate flight of the VTOL drone, but the adaptive L1 controller outperforms the sliding PID controller in terms of robustness and adaptation to changing conditions. This research contributes to ongoing work on adaptive control systems for VTOL UAVs and highlights the potential benefits of using L1 adaptive control for this application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous Formation Systems: Guidance, Dynamics and Control)
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24 pages, 6671 KiB  
Article
Dynamics and Control of Satellite Formations Invariant under the Zonal Harmonic Perturbation
by Stefano Carletta
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4969; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13084969 - 15 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1103
Abstract
A satellite formation operating in low-altitude orbits is subject to perturbations associated to the higher-order harmonics of the gravitational field, which cause a degradation of the formation configurations designed based on the unperturbed model of the Hill–Clohessy–Wiltshire equations. To compensate for these effects, [...] Read more.
A satellite formation operating in low-altitude orbits is subject to perturbations associated to the higher-order harmonics of the gravitational field, which cause a degradation of the formation configurations designed based on the unperturbed model of the Hill–Clohessy–Wiltshire equations. To compensate for these effects, periodic reconfiguration maneuvers are necessary, requiring the prior allocation of a propellant mass budget and, eventually, the use of resources from the ground segment, having a non-negligible impact on the complexity and cost of the mission. Using the Hamiltonian formalism and canonical transformations, a model is developed that allows designing configurations for formation flying invariant with respect to the zonal harmonic perturbation. Jn invariant configurations can be characterized, selecting the drift rate (or boundedness condition) and the amplitude of the oscillations, based on four parameters which can be easily converted in position and velocity components for the satellites of the formation. From this model, a guidance strategy is developed to inject a satellite approaching another spacecraft into a bounded relative trajectory about it and the optimal time for the maneuver, minimizing the total ΔV, is identified. The effectiveness of the model and of the guidance strategy is verified on some scenarios of interest for formations operating in a sun-synchronous and a medium-inclination low Earth orbit and a medium-inclination lunar orbit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous Formation Systems: Guidance, Dynamics and Control)
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