Integrated Guidance and Control Using Model Predictive Control with Flight Path Angle Prediction against Pull-Up...

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Control Systems Engineering
• Robotics

Background:

• Missile guidance systems require advanced control strategies to effectively engage maneuvering targets.
• Model predictive control (MPC) offers a robust framework for handling complex dynamics and constraints in guidance applications.
• Accurate target state estimation is crucial for successful interception, especially against dynamic threats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an integrated guidance and control algorithm for terminal homing missiles targeting maneuvering adversaries.
• To implement a model predictive control (MPC) strategy that incorporates missile dynamics and operational constraints.
• To enhance target state estimation and prediction using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and polynomial fitting.

Main Methods:

• Development of missile equations of motion, including short-period and actuator dynamics.
• Formulation and solution of a convex optimization problem for guidance commands, subject to acceleration and look angle constraints.
• Utilizing a discrete-time extended Kalman filter (EKF) for target position estimation based on look angle measurements.
• Employing polynomial fitting for predicting the target's future flight-path angle.

Main Results:

• The proposed integrated guidance and control algorithm demonstrated effective performance in simulations against maneuvering targets.
• The EKF successfully estimated target states, providing crucial data for the MPC controller.
• Numerical simulations, including Monte Carlo analysis, confirmed the robustness and accuracy of the developed algorithm.

Conclusions:

• The integrated guidance and control approach using MPC provides a viable solution for missile interception of maneuvering targets.
• The combination of EKF for estimation and MPC for control offers a powerful strategy for terminal homing applications.
• The algorithm's ability to handle constraints and predict target motion ensures improved interception success rates.