Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs

Tom Suys; Sunyou Hwang; Guido C.H.E. De Croon; Bart D.W. Remes

doi:10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578

Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs

Tom Suys, Sunyou Hwang, Guido C.H.E. De Croon, Bart D.W. Remes

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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Abstract

We present a novel controller for fixed-wing UAVs that enables autonomous soaring in an orographic wind field, extending flight endurance. Our method identifies soaring regions and addresses position control challenges by introducing a target gradient line (TGL) on which the UAV achieves an equilibrium soaring position, where sink rate and updraft are balanced. Experimental testing validates the controller's effectiveness in maintaining autonomous soaring flight without using any thrust in a non-static wind field. We also demonstrate a single degree of control freedom in a soaring position through manipulation of the TGL.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings - ICRA 2023
Subtitle of host publication	IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	5338-5344
Number of pages	7
ISBN (Electronic)	9798350323658
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578
Publication status	Published - 2023
Event	2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2023 - London, United Kingdom Duration: 29 May 2023 → 2 Jun 2023

Publication series

Name	Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Volume	2023-May
ISSN (Print)	1050-4729

Conference

Conference	2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2023
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	London
Period	29/05/23 → 2/06/23

Bibliographical note

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care
Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Keywords

au-tonomous control
orographic soaring
UAV
wind hovering

Access to Document

10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578

Autonomous_Control_for_Orographic_Soaring_of_Fixed-Wing_UAVsFinal published version, 1.97 MB

Cite this

Suys, T., Hwang, S., De Croon, G. C. H. E., & Remes, B. D. W. (2023). Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs. In Proceedings - ICRA 2023: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (pp. 5338-5344). (Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation; Vol. 2023-May). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578

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title = "Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs",

abstract = "We present a novel controller for fixed-wing UAVs that enables autonomous soaring in an orographic wind field, extending flight endurance. Our method identifies soaring regions and addresses position control challenges by introducing a target gradient line (TGL) on which the UAV achieves an equilibrium soaring position, where sink rate and updraft are balanced. Experimental testing validates the controller's effectiveness in maintaining autonomous soaring flight without using any thrust in a non-static wind field. We also demonstrate a single degree of control freedom in a soaring position through manipulation of the TGL.",

keywords = "au-tonomous control, orographic soaring, UAV, wind hovering",

author = "Tom Suys and Sunyou Hwang and {De Croon}, {Guido C.H.E.} and Remes, {Bart D.W.}",

note = "Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository {\textquoteleft}You share, we take care!{\textquoteright} – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public. ; 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2023 ; Conference date: 29-05-2023 Through 02-06-2023",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation",

publisher = "IEEE",

pages = "5338--5344",

booktitle = "Proceedings - ICRA 2023",

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Suys, T, Hwang, S , De Croon, GCHE & Remes, BDW 2023, Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs. in Proceedings - ICRA 2023: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, vol. 2023-May, IEEE, pp. 5338-5344, 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2023, London, United Kingdom, 29/05/23. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161578

Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs. / Suys, Tom; Hwang, Sunyou ; De Croon, Guido C.H.E. et al.
Proceedings - ICRA 2023: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE, 2023. p. 5338-5344 (Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation; Vol. 2023-May).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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N1 - Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

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N2 - We present a novel controller for fixed-wing UAVs that enables autonomous soaring in an orographic wind field, extending flight endurance. Our method identifies soaring regions and addresses position control challenges by introducing a target gradient line (TGL) on which the UAV achieves an equilibrium soaring position, where sink rate and updraft are balanced. Experimental testing validates the controller's effectiveness in maintaining autonomous soaring flight without using any thrust in a non-static wind field. We also demonstrate a single degree of control freedom in a soaring position through manipulation of the TGL.

AB - We present a novel controller for fixed-wing UAVs that enables autonomous soaring in an orographic wind field, extending flight endurance. Our method identifies soaring regions and addresses position control challenges by introducing a target gradient line (TGL) on which the UAV achieves an equilibrium soaring position, where sink rate and updraft are balanced. Experimental testing validates the controller's effectiveness in maintaining autonomous soaring flight without using any thrust in a non-static wind field. We also demonstrate a single degree of control freedom in a soaring position through manipulation of the TGL.

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Autonomous Control for Orographic Soaring of Fixed-Wing UAVs

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Keywords

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