Applied Fast Maneuvering Using a Hybrid Controller

Guidance and control of autonomous vehicles is a difficult and often calculation-intensive process. Current control approaches limit the functionality of autonomous vehicles. The approach applied in this thesis is to use a discrete-state model of the vehicle dynamics to build a hybrid automaton. By creating a set of stable trim states and building a library of maneuvers, the on-line optimization problem was made significantly simpler. The implementation of the control methodology for an autonomous helicopter was expanded to include three-dimensional path planning and pilot-inspired maneuvers. The hybrid controller was then adapted and applied to an unpowered parafoil in simulation. The parafoil hybrid controller was also implemented on a DSP chip and used in a real-time DSP-processor-based simulation of the system. This demonstrated the ability to apply the hybrid controller logic to a variety of vehicles