V3I7P44

Adaptive Guidance and Optimal Trajectory Generation for Highly Maneuvering UAVs 

Nguyen Ngoc Thien*¹

Abstract

Highly maneuvering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require advanced guidance strategies capable of maintaining trajectory accuracy, flight stability, and mission efficiency under rapidly changing flight conditions. Conventional guidance methods often experience degraded performance when UAVs execute aggressive maneuvers or operate in uncertain environments. This paper proposes an integrated adaptive guidance and optimal trajectory generation framework for highly maneuvering UAVs. First, a nonlinear dynamic model of the UAV is established to accurately describe its motion characteristics. An optimal trajectory generation algorithm is then developed to produce smooth, dynamically feasible, and energy-efficient reference trajectories while satisfying maneuverability constraints. Based on the generated trajectory, an adaptive guidance law is designed to compensate for model uncertainties and external disturbances through online parameter adjustment, thereby improving tracking accuracy and robustness. The stability of the proposed guidance scheme is analyzed using Lyapunov theory, ensuring the convergence of trajectory tracking errors. Extensive simulation studies are conducted under multiple high-maneuver scenarios, including abrupt heading changes, rapid acceleration, and disturbance conditions. The proposed approach is compared with conventional proportional guidance, nonlinear guidance, and fixed-gain adaptive guidance methods. Simulation results demonstrate significant improvements in trajectory tracking accuracy, guidance smoothness, energy efficiency, and robustness, indicating that the proposed framework provides an effective solution for autonomous guidance of highly maneuvering UAVs operating in complex dynamic environments.

Keywords:

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), adaptive guidance, optimal trajectory generation, trajectory tracking, nonlinear control, autonomous navigation, Lyapunov stability.