Real-Time Optimized Trajectory Planning for a Fixed-Wing Vehicle Flying in a Dynamic Environment

The problem of determining an optimal feasible trajectory, for a fixed wing flying vehicle moving in a dynamical threedimensional space, is addressed in this paper, and an analytical solution is proposed. With explicitly considering the boundary conditions and kinematic constraints as well as by satisfying the collision avoidance criterions, trajectories are described in terms of three parameterized polynomials, and the family of feasible trajectories are found. Then, the desired near shortest trajectory is chosen from the feasible trajectories by optimizing a performance index with respect to L2 norm. This trajectory and its associated steering controls are achieved analytically. Computer simulations validate that this approach is computationally efficient and real-time implementable. DOI: 10.1061/ ASCE 0893-1321 2009 22:4 331 CE Database subject headings: Optimization; Aircraft; Motion; Collision; Control.