Unmanned aircraft systems as wingmen

Richard Garcia; Laura Barnes; MaryAnne Fields

doi:10.1117/12.849806

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7 May 2010 Unmanned aircraft systems as wingmen

Richard Garcia; Laura Barnes; MaryAnne Fields

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Proceedings Volume 7692, Unmanned Systems Technology XII; 76920T (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.849806
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2010, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

This paper introduces a concept towards integrating manned and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) into a highly functional team though the design and implementation of 3-D distributed formation/flight control algorithms with the goal to act as wingmen for a manned aircraft. This method is designed to minimize user input for team control, dynamically modify formations as required, utilize standard operating formations to reduce pilot resistance to integration, and support splinter groups for surveillance and/or as safeguards between potential threats and manned vehicles. The proposed work coordinates UAS members by utilizing artificial potential functions whose values are based on the state of the unmanned and manned assets including the desired formation, obstacles, task assignments, and perceived intentions. The overall unmanned team geometry is controlled using weighted potential fields. Individual UAS utilize fuzzy logic controllers for stability and navigation as well as a fuzzy reasoning engine for flight path intention prediction. Approaches are demonstrated in simulation using the commercial simulator X-Plane and controllers designed in Matlab/Simulink. Experiments include trail and right echelon formations as well as splinter group surveillance.

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Richard Garcia, Laura Barnes, and MaryAnne Fields "Unmanned aircraft systems as wingmen", Proc. SPIE 7692, Unmanned Systems Technology XII, 76920T (7 May 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.849806

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