Landing / Takeoff Research

@Allan Su + @Ben Carnes

We are looking to research if Gordon’s vector implementation would still be valid, or should we come up with completely new code for Path Manager zp 3.5, Assuming that the input comes from FreeRTOS queue, and show our approach.

We will be assuming that the inputs will be FreeRTOS queues.

Helpful Source (Autonomous Team’s landing and takeoff code)

GitHub - UWARG/pathing: Creating and executing paths and routes.

Previous research we could refer, and possibly extend from:

Existing Information:

Landing Procedure

Takeoff Procedure

Functions

double getTakeoffAltitudeTarget(double currentAltitude);

When first called set the current height as ground, then return the takeoff altitude target (ground height + TAKEOFF_TARGET).

double getLandingAltitudeTarget(double currentAltitude);

This function returns the ground height set during takeoff and uses it as the target landing altitude.

AM::AttitudeManagerInput createLandingWaypoint(const LOS::LosSFData & input);

Calculates the waypoints that the drone should follow during landing. Missing horizontal components as of now.

Returns the waypoints that should be followed for takeoff.

Return desired climb speed for both landing and takeoff.

Returns range constant to calculate velocity.

Question : Does PM output speed to AM? Or does AM computes the speed

Speed should be controlled by AM.

Should still PM generate waypoints for landing/takeoff?

Yes, but it may change.

Ideas supposing we adapted the current code:

We likely will not need getRangeConstant which is used to define the targetSpeed of a VTOL. However, the target of a fixed wing craft is more so based on stage of take off or landing which is dependent mainly on stall speed, takeoff speed, landing speed and minimum climb speed.

For getTakeoffAltitudeTarget, we likely could exit take off or landing states by completing the final waypoints during takeoff and landing.

We need a horizontal component which would allow our drone to travel in oblique vectors

If our drone is ever flying into cross wind, we may need to correct lateral movement to reach specified waypoints.

The current getSpeedTarget function is a exponential decay calculated using altitude function which is suitable to VTOL.

However, the speed of a fixed wing craft is largely independent of altitude. There is also different behaviors required at each stage in take off or landing. The big concern of a fixed wing craft is the stall speed and minimum climb speed. It may be better to have two separate getSpeedTarget functions for a take off and landing of a fixed wing craft. For takeoff, we could try for some high constant takeoff speed to minimize runway length.

Example speed logic in a getTakeoffTargetSpeed function

Since we need to change behaviors during takeoff, we could pass a queue of waypoint into the getTakeoffTargetSpeed function to determine what speed is optimal for what stage. Maybe switch statements based on stage? There could be better options but this is just a makeshift solution for now.

Useful Documents to look over:

https://link-springer-com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/article/10.1007/s10846-017-0512-y

Looking specifically at the middle level control and high level control section, there are several points of interest.

Landing

Slope Stage

To get a better landing algorithm, we may be interested in the section on Proportional Guidance Law on pg 626. We can create a waypoint from which we find the ideal glide path from the drone. We will need a waypoint as the touchdown point, the drone’s altitude, an chosen descent angle and distance to touchdown point. Once we have a glide path, we can find the error between the drone’s current altitude and the altitude of the glide path. We adjust the descent angle to reduce the error.

Formulas and Terms we may want to consider

Ideal glide path: = linear path determined by some predetermined descent angle

Ideal altitude: h_ideal(x) = h_d + x * tan(η) where h_ideal() is the desired altitude, h_d is our initial descent altitude and η is the predetermined descent angle at any point on x

Proportional Guidance Law:

where:

h_d is initial descent altitude

h is the drone’s current altitude

η is the predetermined descent angle

ϵ is the parameter that controls how quickly the aircraft converges onto the ideal path

Given by

where
- T is the touchdown point
- P1 is projection of the drone directly below the ideal path
- P2 a future point on the path shortly ahead of P1

Flare Maneuver (Landing) pg 621

Are we able to get data from Attitude Manager?

In order to properly conduct a flare maneuver right before touchdown, we need to ensure a constant, slightly positive pitch angle.

https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1055556/FULLTEXT01.pdf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896316315026

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6485292

Takeoff

The IEEE paper describes a similar strategy in takeoff and landing we have seen above by splitting each event into stages using waypoints. It is important to have access to speed data.

It discusses several strategies:

Throttle control

T_k represents the time constraints of the takeoff process. In our case, we can set some arbitrary value (probably). δ_T represents the throttle angle (engine power). Unlike previous strategies which simply used a constant engine power until takeoff speed is reached, this ensures smooth acceleration which might result in a more stable take off.

Determining pitch angle (do we control the flaps during takeoff?)
- if so, look at IEEE paper

Climb stage

Proportional guidance can also be applied to the climb stage similar to the slope stage during landing.

We can create a reference climb angle which predetermined before launch. The formula is the same as the Slope stage calculations.

If we have access to altitude, speed and attitude data, we can adapt or rewrite the current takeoff and landing algorithm for a fixed wing drone using waypoints.

To Do:

read autonomous team’s algorithm