Automating Human Thought Processes for a UAV Forced Landing | Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Automating Human Thought Processes for a UAV Forced Landing

  • Published:
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes the current status of a program to develop an automated forced landing system for a fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This automated system seeks to emulate human pilot thought processes when planning for and conducting an engine-off emergency landing. Firstly, a path planning algorithm that extends Dubins curves to 3D space is presented. This planning element is then combined with a nonlinear guidance and control logic, and simulated test results demonstrate the robustness of this approach to strong winds during a glided descent. The average path deviation errors incurred are comparable to or even better than that of manned, powered aircraft. Secondly, a study into suitable multi-criteria decision making approaches and the problems that confront the decision-maker is presented. From this study, it is believed that decision processes that utilize human expert knowledge and fuzzy logic reasoning are most suited to the problem at hand, and further investigations will be conducted to identify the particular technique/s to be implemented in simulations and field tests. The automated UAV forced landing approach presented in this paper is promising, and will allow the progression of this technology from the development and simulation stages through to a prototype system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
¥17,985 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Japan)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  1. CASA, Visual Flight Rules Guide, 2nd ed. Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia, Canberra (2007)

  2. Fitzgerald, D., Mejias, L., Eng, P., Liu, X.: Towards flight trials for an autonomous uav emergency landing using machine vision. In: Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation, Brisbane, Australia, December 2007

  3. Redelinghuys, C.: A flight simulation algorithm for a parafoil suspending an air vehicle. J. Guid. Control Dyn. 30, 791–803 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Froeschner, C.P.: UAS—Flying safety. http://findarticles.com/ (2008). Accessed 27 Nov 2008

  5. Fitzgerald, D.: Candidate landing site selection for uav forced landings using machine vision. Ph.D. dissertation, Queensland University of Technology. School of Engineering Systems (2007)

  6. Mejias, L., Fitzgerald, D., Eng, P., Liu, X.: Aerial vehicles. I-Tech Education and Publishing, 2009, ch. Forced Landing Technologies for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Towards Safer Operations, pp. 415–440

  7. Australian Bureau of Meteorology: The wind across Australia. http://www.bom.gov.au/ (2007). Accessed 24 June 2007

  8. Eng, P., Mejias, L., Fitzgerald, D., Walker, R.: Simulation of a fixed-wing uav forced landing with dynamics path planning. In: Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation, Brisbane, Australia, December 2007

  9. Nelson, R.C.: Flight Stability and Automatic Control, 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  10. LaValle, S.M.: Planning Algorithms. Cambridge University Press, New York (2006)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Dubins, L.E.: On curves of minimal length with a constraint on average curvature with prescribed initial and terminal positions and tangents. Am. J. Math. 79, 471–477 (1957)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. Ambrosino, G., Ariola, M., Ciniglio, U., Corraro, F., Pironti, A., Virgilio, M.: Algorithms for 3-d uav path generation and tracking. In: 45th IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, pp. 5275–5280. San Diego, CA (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Park, S.: Avionics and control system development for mid-air rendezvous of two unmanned aerial vehicles. Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, M.I.T (2004)

  14. Park, S., Deyst, J., How, J.P.: Performance and lyapunov stability of a nonlinear path-following guidance method. J. Guid. Control Dyn. 30, 1718–1728 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Brandon, J.: Forced landing procedures. http://www.auf.asn.au/emergencies/forcedlanding.html. Accessed 25 March 2007

  16. Cox, T.H., Nagy, C.J., Skoog, M.A., Somers, I.A.: Civil uav capability assessment. NASA, Tech. Rep., draft Version (2004)

  17. Brans, J.-P., Mareschal, B.: Promethee methods. In: Figueira, J., Greco, S., Ehrgott, M. (eds.) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: State of the Art Surveys. Springer, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Dyer, J.S.: Maut—multiattribute utillity theory. In: Figueira, J., Greco, S., Ehrgott, M. (eds.) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: State of the Art Surveys. Springer, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  19. von Neumann, J., Morgenstern, O.: Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1944)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. Grabisch, M., Roubens, M.: Application of the choquet integral in multicriteria decision making. In: Grabisch, T.M.M., Sugeno, M. (eds.) Fuzzy Measures and Integrals - Theory and Applications, pp. 348–374. Physica Verlag, Würzburg (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Greco, S., Matarazzo, B., Slowinski, R.: Decision rule approach. In: Figueira, J., Greco, S., Ehrgott, M. (eds.) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: State of the Art Surveys. Springer, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Graco, S., Matarazzo, B., Slowinski, R.: Rough approximation by dominance relations. Int. J. Intell. Syst. 17, 153–171 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bouyssou, D.: Ranking methods based on valued preference relations: a characterization of the net flow method. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 60(1), 61–67 (1992). Available http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VCT-48NBG9R-1TT/2/3590a17dce5c9186172b2099f2c50f47

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia

    Pillar Eng, Luis Mejias, Xi Liu & Rodney Walker

Authors
  1. Pillar Eng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Luis Mejias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rodney Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pillar Eng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eng, P., Mejias, L., Liu, X. et al. Automating Human Thought Processes for a UAV Forced Landing. J Intell Robot Syst 57, 329–349 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-009-9389-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-009-9389-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation