Waypoint guidance is a technique used to steer an autonomous vehicle along a desired course. Waypoints are designated at intervals along that course. The guidance algorithms issue steering commands that, if followed, result in the vehicle's traveling from waypoint to waypoint. Thus, the vehicle remains on or very close to the desired trajectory. Waypoints can be specified by latitude, longitude, and altitude in geographic coordinates. The vehicle's current location can be described similarly. This is enough information to determine the direction of travel that would take the vehicle to the waypoint. The shortest route from one point on a spherical surface to another on the same surface is a great circle. A great circle lies in a plane that contains the center of the sphere. The plane also is normal to the surface of the sphere along the great circle. The earth actually is distorted slightly from spherical; it is ellipsoidal. An ellipsoidal earth model will be used in this report. Features of the great circle will be applied to effect good approximations of shortest routes to waypoints. Therefore, only the endpoints of long, straight course segments need be specified. 5 figs.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Geometric Considerations for a Waypoint Guidance Method


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    1989


    Size :

    14 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Minimum-Effort Waypoint-Following Differential Geometric Guidance Law Design for UAVs

    Qin, Xue-Sheng / Zhang, Tao-Tao / Li, Ke-Bo et al. | IEEE | 2022


    Minimum-Effort Waypoint-Following Guidance

    He, Shaoming / Lee, Chang-Hun / Shin, Hyo-Sang et al. | AIAA | 2019


    Waypoint constrained guidance for entry vehicles

    Liang, Zixuan / Li, Qingdong / Ren, Zhang | Elsevier | 2016


    Horizontal waypoint guidance design using optimal control

    Ick Ho Whang, / Tae Won Hwang, | IEEE | 2002


    Minimum-Effort Waypoint-Following Guidance Law

    He, Shaoming / Lee, Chang-Hun / Shin, Hyo-Sang et al. | Springer Verlag | 2020