Path Generation Tactics for a UAV Following a Moving Target

摘要

There is a need for generating paths for a fixed wing aircraft maneuvering to follow a target moving at various speeds. In this thesis we investigate three possible patterns and associated algorithms for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) autonomously following a moving target. The three patterns are a square wave pattern, a circular pattern, and a bow tie-shaped standoff pattern. These patterns range in capability of being able to follow a target that is standing still up to one that is traveling at near UAV airspeed, the best solution being some combination of patterns based on the ration of UAV velocity to target velocity. The path algorithms assume that the position and velocity is known for the target and that the UAV is already in visual range (by an onboard camera) of the target. Simulation results are shown to confirm the capabilities of each method.