Autonomous Landing for VTOL Aircraft on Vertically Moving Marine Platforms

Date

2024-9-04

Author

Kholosi, Hazem Abdullatif Mohammed

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This thesis develops a motion planning algorithm with the purpose of furthering the landing precision and safety of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft when landing on moving marine platforms, such as offshore oil rigs and ship decks. Departing from traditional approaches that rely primarily on the maneuverability of the aircraft and the precision of its control systems, this work introduces a novel algorithm that incorporates a predictive model of the marine platforms movements. By analyzing real-time environmental data and applying an adaptive learning mechanism, the algorithm continuously adjusts the aircrafts landing trajectory to better accommodate dynamic and unpredictable conditions.The thesis proceeds to test this approach using a series of extensive numerical simulations and Software-in-the-Loop (SITL) tests in the X-Plane flight simulator, carried out under various simulated conditions. This assessment suggests that, compared with traditional methods, the algorithm could offer significant improvements in landing safety and increase the accuracy of the touchdown points.This thesis contributes to the ongoing discussion in the field by exploring a new avenue for VTOL aircraft operations in a marine environment and proposes a pathway for further enhancement of operational safety under such challenging conditions. The work aims to serve as a stepping stone for future research, which would allow, in due course, the possible advancement of VTOL technologies for both military and commercial uses.

Subject Keywords

Motion Planning, Predictive Algorithms, Adaptive Lyapunov Methods

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/111377

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis