Controllability and reachability for micro-aerial-vehicle trajectory planning in winds

A study was conducted to investigate the planning of feasible trajectories for micro aerial vehicles (MAV) in the neighborhood of given points, and within specified time intervals. The time intervals were assumed considerably short for the relevant wind fields that were assumed to be known. The problem was formulated in terms of two fundamental issues, such as the controllability of a desired target point and the reachable set from a given trajectory point. MAV motions were adequately represented by a dynamic point-mass model for optimizing the trajectory. The controllability set of a target point contained all trajectory states from which the specified point was reached by the MAV within a given time. It was found that the controllability set of a target trajectory point depended on MAV performance capabilities, the wind conditions, boundary constraints, and permitted flight time.