Guidance and control system for an unmanned combat aerial vehicle as a wingman

Abstract

This study focuses on designing and testing a formation guidance system for a UCAV as a wingman to an F-16 fighter jet. A critical assessment of the UCAV autopilot revealed areas for improvement, which were addressed to refine the stable foundation of the autopilot for implementing the guidance system. This system uses PID controllers to minimise the along-track, cross-track, and vertical-track errors during standard manoeuvres. The system performed exceptionally well in the vertical (z) direction but showed robustness challenges in the along-track (x) and cross-track (y) directions under wind disturbances. A notable outcome was the identification of a novel mathematical relationship between the along-track offset command and its gains, offering a pathway for advanced formation systems. These findings pave the way for future enhancements in diverse formation operations.