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Taeyoung Lee

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Published work

39 published item(s)

preprint2026arXiv

The Score Kalman Filter

A central obstacle in nonlinear Bayesian filtering is representing the belief distribution. Moment-based filters address this by propagating polynomial moments and reconstructing a density from them. Recent work completes the predict-update loop via the maximum-entropy (MaxEnt) principle, but each step requires the partition function and its gradient, both $n$-dimensional integrals whose cost scales exponentially, restricting the demonstrated MaxEnt moment filtering to $n \le 4$. We avoid the partition function entirely by combining score matching with Stein's identity. In our setting, score matching reduces the density fit to a single linear solve whose coefficients are assembled directly from the propagated moments. The same parameters then drive Stein's identity to close the moment hierarchy during prediction and to recover posterior moments after each Bayesian update, keeping the full predict-update loop free of partition function evaluation. The resulting Score Kalman Filter (SKF) reduces to the classical information-form Kalman filter as a special case and performs every step through linear algebra. On nonlinear coupled-oscillator networks, the SKF runs through $n=20$ and reports lower RMSE than the EKF, UKF, EnKF, and particle-filter baselines on the tested synthetic benchmarks.

preprint2022arXiv

Bayesian Shape Reconstruction and Optimal Guidance for Autonomous Landing on Asteroids

Construction of the precise shape of an asteroid is critical for spacecraft operations as the gravitational potential is determined by spatial mass distribution. The typical approach to shape determination requires a prolonged mapping phase of the mission over which extensive measurements are collected and transmitted for Earth-based processing. This paper presents a set of approaches to explore an unknown asteroid with onboard calculations, and to land on its surface area selected in an optimal fashion. The main motivation is to avoid the extended period of mapping or preliminary ground observations that are commonly required in spacecraft missions around asteroids. First, range measurements from the spacecraft to the surface are used to incrementally correct an initial shape estimate according to the Bayesian framework. Then, an optimal guidance scheme is proposed to control the vantage point of the range sensor to construct a complete 3D model of the asteroid shape. This shape model is then used in a nonlinear controller to track a desired trajectory about the asteroid. Finally, a multi resolution approach is presented to construct a higher fidelity shape representation in a specified location while avoiding the inherent burdens of a uniformly high resolution mesh. This approach enables for an accurate shape determination around a potential landing site. We demonstrate this approach using several radar shape models of asteroids and provide a full dynamical simulation about asteroid 4769 Castalia.

preprint2022arXiv

Constrained Imitation Learning for a Flapping Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

This paper presents a data-driven optimal control policy for a micro flapping wing unmanned aerial vehicle. First, a set of optimal trajectories are computed off-line based on a geometric formulation of dynamics that captures the nonlinear coupling between the large angle flapping motion and the quasi-steady aerodynamics. Then, it is transformed into a feedback control system according to the framework of imitation learning. In particular, an additional constraint is incorporated through the learning process to enhance the stability properties of the resulting controlled dynamics. Compared with conventional methods, the proposed constrained imitation learning eliminates the need to generate additional optimal trajectories on-line, without sacrificing stability. As such, the computational efficiency is substantially improved. Furthermore, this establishes the first nonlinear control system that stabilizes the coupled longitudinal and lateral dynamics of flapping wing aerial vehicle without relying on averaging or linearization. These are illustrated by numerical examples for a simulated model inspired by Monarch butterflies.

preprint2022arXiv

Iterative Supervised Learning for Regression with Constraints

Regression in supervised learning often requires the enforcement of constraints to ensure that the trained models are consistent with the underlying structures of the input and output data. This paper presents an iterative procedure to perform regression under arbitrary constraints. It is achieved by alternating between a learning step and a constraint enforcement step, to which an affine extension function is incorporated. We show this leads to a contraction mapping under mild assumptions, from which the convergence is guaranteed analytically. The presented proof of convergence in regression with constraints is the unique contribution of this paper. Furthermore, numerical experiments illustrate improvements in the trained model in terms of the quality of regression, the satisfaction of constraints, and also the stability in training, when compared to other existing algorithms.

preprint2022arXiv

Uncertainty Propagation for General Stochastic Hybrid Systems on Compact Lie Groups

This paper deals with uncertainty propagation of general stochastic hybrid systems (GSHS) where the continuous state space is a compact Lie group. A computational framework is proposed to solve the Fokker-Planck (FP) equation that describes the time evolution of the probability density function for the state of GSHS. The FP equation is split into two parts: the partial differential operator corresponding to the continuous dynamics, and the integral operator arising from the discrete dynamics. These two parts are solved alternatively using the operator splitting technique. Specifically, the partial differential equation is solved by the spectral method where the density function is decomposed into a linear combination of a complete orthonormal function basis brought forth by the Peter-Weyl theorem, thereby resulting an ordinary differential equation. Next, the integral equation is solved by approximating the integral by a finite summation using a quadrature rule. The proposed method is then applied to a three-dimensional rigid body pendulum colliding with a wall, evolving on the product of the three-dimensional special orthogonal group and the Euclidean space. It is illustrated that the proposed method exhibits numerical results consistent with a Monte Carlo simulation, while explicitly generating the density function that carries the complete stochastic information of the hybrid state.

preprint2021arXiv

Dynamics and Control of a Flapping Wing UAV with Abdomen Undulation Inspired by Monarch Butterfly

This paper presents a dynamic model and a control system for a flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. Inspired by flight characteristics captured from live Monarch butterflies, a new dynamic model is presented to account the effects of low-frequency flapping and abdomen undulation. We developed it according to Lagrangian mechanics on a Lie group to obtain an elegant, global formulation of dynamics. Then, a feedback control system is presented to asymptotically stabilize periodic motions with active motion of abdomen, and its stability is verified according to Floquet theory. In particular, it is illustrated that the abdomen undulation has the desirable effects of reducing the variation of the total energy and also improving the stability of the proposed control system.

preprint2020arXiv

Bayesian Attitude Estimation with the Matrix Fisher Distribution on SO(3)

This paper focuses on a stochastic formulation of Bayesian attitude estimation on the special orthogonal group. In particular, an exponential probability density model for random matrices, referred to as the matrix Fisher distribution is used to represent the uncertainties of attitude estimates and measurements in a global fashion. Various stochastic properties of the matrix Fisher distribution are derived on the special orthogonal group, and based on these, two types of intrinsic frameworks for Bayesian attitude estimation are constructed. These avoid complexities or singularities of the attitude estimators developed in terms of quaternions. The proposed approaches are particularly useful to deal with large estimation errors or large uncertainties for complex maneuvers to obtain accurate estimates of the attitude.

preprint2020arXiv

Enlarging Discriminative Power by Adding an Extra Class in Unsupervised Domain Adaptation

In this paper, we study the problem of unsupervised domain adaptation that aims at obtaining a prediction model for the target domain using labeled data from the source domain and unlabeled data from the target domain. There exists an array of recent research based on the idea of extracting features that are not only invariant for both domains but also provide high discriminative power for the target domain. In this paper, we propose an idea of empowering the discriminativeness: Adding a new, artificial class and training the model on the data together with the GAN-generated samples of the new class. The trained model based on the new class samples is capable of extracting the features that are more discriminative by repositioning data of current classes in the target domain and therefore drawing the decision boundaries more effectively. Our idea is highly generic so that it is compatible with many existing methods such as DANN, VADA, and DIRT-T. We conduct various experiments for the standard data commonly used for the evaluation of unsupervised domain adaptations and demonstrate that our algorithm achieves the SOTA performance for many scenarios.

preprint2020arXiv

Matrix Fisher-Gaussian Distribution on $\mathrm{SO}(3)\times\mathbb{R}^n$ for Attitude Estimation with a Gyro Bias

In this paper, a new probability distribution, referred to as the matrix Fisher-Gaussian (MFG) distribution, is proposed on the nonlinear manifold $\mathrm{SO}(3)\times\mathbb{R}^n$. It is constructed by conditioning a (9+n)-variate Gaussian distribution from the ambient Euclidean space into $\mathrm{SO}(3)\times\mathbb{R}^n$, while imposing a certain geometric interpretation of the correlation terms to avoid over-parameterization. The unique feature is that it may represent large uncertainties in attitudes, linear variables of an arbitrary dimension, and angular-linear correlations between them in a global fashion without singularities associated with local parameterizations. Various stochastic properties and an approximate maximum likelihood estimator of MFG are developed. Furthermore, two methods are developed to propagate uncertainties though a stochastic differential equation representing attitude kinematics. Based on these, a Bayesian estimator is proposed to estimate the attitude and time-varying gyro bias concurrently. Numerical studies indicate that the proposed estimator exhibits a better accuracy against the well-established multiplicative extended Kalman filter for two challenging cases.

preprint2020arXiv

Spectral Bayesian Estimation for General Stochastic Hybrid Systems

General Stochastic Hybrid Systems (GSHS) have been formulated to represent various types of uncertainties in hybrid dynamical systems. In this paper, we propose computational techniques for Bayesian estimation of GSHS. In particular, the Fokker-Planck equation that describes the evolution of uncertainty distributions along GSHS is solved by spectral techniques, where an arbitrary form of probability density of the hybrid state is represented by a mixture of Fourier series. The method is based on splitting the Fokker-Planck equation represented by an integro-partial differential equation into the partial differentiation part for continuous diffusion and the integral part for discrete transition, and integrating the solution of each part. The propagated density function is used with a likelihood function in the Bayes' formula to estimate the hybrid state for given sensor measurements. The unique feature of the proposed technique is that the probability density describing complete stochastic properties of the hybrid state is constructed without relying on the common Gaussian assumption, in contrast to other methods that compute certain expected values such as mean or variance. We apply the proposed method to the estimation of two examples: the bouncing ball model and the Dubins vehicle model. We show that the proposed technique yields propagated densities consistent with Monte Carlo simulations, more accurate estimates over the Gaussian based approach and some computational benefits over a particle filter.

preprint2016arXiv

Extended Kalman Filter on SE(3) for Geometric Control of a Quadrotor UAV

An extended Kalman filter (EKF) is developed on the special Euclidean group, SE(3) for geometric control of a quadrotor UAV. It is obtained by performing an extensive linearization on SE(3) to estimate the state of the quadrotor from noisy measurements. Proposed estimator considers all the coupling effects between rotational and translational dynamics, and it is developed in a coordinate-free fashion. The desirable features of the proposed EKF are illustrated by numerical examples and experimental results for several scenarios. The proposed estimation scheme on SE(3) has been unprecedented and these results can be particularly useful for aggressive maneuvers in GPS denied environments or in situations where parts of onboard sensors fail.

preprint2016arXiv

Geometric Adaptive Control of Attitude Dynamics on SO(3) with State Inequality Constraints

This paper presents a new geometric adaptive control system with state inequality constraints for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body. The control system is designed such that the desired attitude is asymptotically stabilized, while the controlled attitude trajectory avoids undesired regions defined by an inequality constraint. In addition, we develop an adaptive update law that enables attitude stabilization in the presence of unknown disturbances. The attitude dynamics and the proposed control systems are developed on the special orthogonal group such that singularities and ambiguities of other attitude parameterizations, such as Euler angles and quaternions are completely avoided. The effectiveness of the proposed control system is demonstrated through numerical simulations and experimental results.

preprint2016arXiv

Global Unscented Attitude Estimation via the Matrix Fisher Distributions on SO(3)

This paper is focused on probabilistic estimation for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body on the special orthogonal group. We select the matrix Fisher distribution to represent the uncertainties of attitude estimates and measurements in a global fashion without need for local coordinates. Several properties of the matrix Fisher distribution on the special orthogonal group are presented, and an unscented transform is proposed to approximate a matrix Fisher distribution by selected sigma points. Based on these, an intrinsic, global framework for Bayesian attitude estimation is developed. It is shown that the proposed approach can successfully deal with large initial estimator errors and large uncertainties over complex maneuvers to obtain accurate estimates of the attitude.

preprint2016arXiv

Low-Thrust Trajectory Design Using Reachability Sets near Asteroid 4769 Castalia

We present a computational approach for the design of continuous low thrust transfers around an asteroid. These transfers are computed through the use of a reachability set generated on a lower dimensional Poincaré surface. Complex, long duration transfer trajectories are highly sensitive to the initial guess and generally have a small region of convergence. Computation of the reachable set alleviates the need to generate an accurate initial guess for optimization. From the reachable set, we chose a trajectory which minimizes a distance metric towards the desired target. Successive computation of the reachable set allows for the design of general transfer trajectories which iteratively approach the target. We demonstrate this method by determining a transfer trajectory about the asteroid 4769 Castalia.

preprint2015arXiv

Angular Velocity Observer on the Special Orthogonal Group for Velocity-Free Rigid-Body Attitude Tracking Control

This paper studies a rigid body attitude tracking control problem with attitude measurements only, when angular velocity measurements are not available. An angular velocity observer is constructed such that the estimated angular velocity is guaranteed to converge to the true angular velocity asymptotically from almost all initial estimates. As it is developed directly on the special orthogonal group, it completely avoids singularities, complexities, or discontinuities caused by minimal attitude representations or quaternions. Then, the presented observer is integrated with a proportional-derivative attitude tracking controller to show a separation type property, where exponential stability is guaranteed for the combined observer and attitude control system.

preprint2015arXiv

Dynamics and Control of Quadrotor UAVs Transporting a Rigid Body Connected via Flexible Cables

This paper is focused on the dynamics and control of arbitrary number of quadrotor UAVs transporting a rigid body payload. The rigid body payload is connected to quadrotors via flexible cables where each flexible cable is modeled as a system of serially-connected links. It is shown that a coordinate-free form of equations of motion can be derived for arbitrary numbers of quadrotors and links according to Lagrangian mechanics on a manifold. A geometric nonlinear controller is presented to transport the rigid body to a fixed desired position while aligning all of the links along the vertical direction. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the desirable features of the proposed control system.

preprint2015arXiv

Geometric Adaptive Control for Aerial Transportation of a Rigid Body

This paper is focused on tracking control for a rigid body payload, that is connected to an arbitrary number of quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles via rigid links. A geometric adaptive controller is constructed such that the payload asymptotically follows a given desired trajectory for its position and attitude in the presence of uncertainties. The coupled dynamics between the rigid body payload, links, and quadrotors are explicitly incorporated into control system design and stability analysis. These are developed directly on the nonlinear configuration manifold in a coordinate-free fashion to avoid singularities and complexities that are associated with local parameterizations. The desirable features of the proposed control system are illustrated by a numerical example.

preprint2015arXiv

Geometric Controls for a Tethered Quadrotor UAV

This paper deals with the dynamics and controls of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle that is connected to a fixed point on the ground via a tether. Tethered quadrotors have been envisaged for long-term aerial surveillance with high-speed communications. This paper presents an intrinsic form of the dynamic model of a tethered quadrotor including the coupling between deformations of the tether and the motion of the quadrotor, and it constructs geometric control systems to asymptotically stabilize the coupled dynamics of the quadrotor and the tether. The proposed global formulation of dynamics and control also avoids complexities and singularities associated with local coordinates. These are illustrated by numerical examples.

preprint2015arXiv

Global Formulations of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Mechanics on Two-Spheres

This paper provides global formulations of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian variational dynamics evolving on the product of an arbitrary number of two-spheres. Four types of Euler-Lagrange equations and Hamilton's equations are developed in a coordinate-free fashion on two-spheres, without relying on local parameterizations that may lead to singularities and cumbersome equations of motion. The proposed intrinsic formulations of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics are novel in that they incorporate the geometry of two-spheres, resulting in equations of motion that are expressed compactly, and they are useful in analysis and computation of the global dynamics.

preprint2015arXiv

Hybrid Attitude Observer on SO(3) with Global Asymptotic Stability

This paper presents a deterministic hybrid observer for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body that guarantees global asymptotical stability. Any smooth attitude observer suffers from the inherent topological restriction that it is impossible to achieve global attractivity, and as such, attitude observers have been developed with almost global asymptotic stability. We demonstrate that such attitude observer may yields very slow initial convergence rates, and motivated by this, we propose a hybrid attitude observer that guarantees global asymptotic stability on the special orthogonal group. We illustrate that the proposed observer exhibits substantially improved convergence rate uniformly via numerical examples and experiments.

preprint2015arXiv

Stabilization of a Rigid Body Payload with Multiple Cooperative Quadrotors

This paper presents the full dynamics and control of arbitrary number of quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) transporting a rigid body. The rigid body is connected to the quadrotors via flexible cables where each flexible cable is modeled as a system of arbitrary number of serially connected links. It is shown that a coordinate-free form of equations of motion can be derived for the complete model without any simplicity assumptions that commonly appear in other literature, according to Lagrangian mechanics on a manifold. A geometric nonlinear controller is presented to transport the rigid body to a fixed desired position while aligning all of the links along the vertical direction. A rigorous mathematical stability proof is given and the desirable features of the proposed controller are illustrated by numerical examples and experimental results.

preprint2015arXiv

Systematic Design of Optimal Low-Thrust Transfers for the Three-Body Problem

A computational approach is developed for the design of continuous low thrust transfers in the planar circular restricted three-body problem. The transfer design method of invariant manifolds is extended with the addition of continuous low thrust propulsion. A reachable region is generated and it is used to determine transfer opportunities, analogous to the intersection of invariant manifolds. The reachable set is developed on a lower dimensional Poincare section and used to design transfer trajectories. This is solved numerically as a discrete optimal control problem using a variational integrator. This provides for a geometrically exact and numerically efficient method for the motion in the three-body problem. A numerical simulation is provided developing a transfer from a $L_1$ periodic orbit in the Earth-Moon system to a target orbit about the Moon.

preprint2014arXiv

Geometric Adaptive Tracking Control of a Quadrotor UAV on SE(3) for Agile Maneuvers

This paper presents nonlinear tracking control systems for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle under the influence of uncertainties. Assuming that there exist unstructured disturbances in the translational dynamics and the attitude dynamics, a geometric nonlinear adaptive controller is developed directly on the special Euclidean group. In particular, a new form of an adaptive control term is proposed to guarantee stability while compensating the effects of uncertainties in quadrotor dynamics. A rigorous mathematical stability proof is given. The desirable features are illustrated by numerical example and experimental results of aggressive maneuvers.

preprint2014arXiv

Geometric Control of a Quadrotor UAV Transporting a Payload Connected via Flexible Cable

We derived a coordinate-free form of equations of motion for a complete model of a quadrotor UAV with a payload which is connected via a flexible cable according to Lagrangian mechanics on a manifold. The flexible cable is modeled as a system of serially-connected links and has been considered in the full dynamic model. A geometric nonlinear control system is presented to exponentially stabilize the position of the quadrotor while aligning the links to the vertical direction below the quadrotor. Numerical simulation and experimental results are presented and a rigorous stability analysis is provided to confirm the accuracy of our derivations. These results will be particularly useful for aggressive load transportation that involves large deformation of the cable.

preprint2014arXiv

Geometric Control of Multiple Quadrotor UAVs Transporting a Cable-Suspended Rigid Body

This paper investigates tracking controls for an arbitrary number of cooperating quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles with a suspended rigid body payload. Assuming that a rigid body is connected to multiple quadrotors by rigid massless links, control systems for quadrotors are constructed such that the rigid body asymptotically follows a given desired position and attitude trajectory. These are developed in a coordinate-free fashion to avoid singularities and complexities associated with local parameterizations.

preprint2014arXiv

Geometric Stabilization of Quadrotor UAV with a Payload Connected by Flexible Cable

Equations of motion and dynamics of a quadrotor transporting a load with a flexible cable modeled as a chain pendulum is obtained using Euler-Lagrange equations by taking variations on manifolds. An arbitrary number of links considered in a series models the flexible cable connecting the load to the quadrotor while the whole system can undergo complex motion in 3D. Geometric nonlinear control asymptotically stabilizes the load and cable bellow the quadrotor. A linearization about the equilibrium and the corresponding lyapunov stability analysis is provided. We produced numerical simulations and validated our work experimentally using a quadrotor UAV.

preprint2014arXiv

Global Exponential Attitude Tracking Controls on SO(3)

This paper presents four types of tracking control systems for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body. First, a smooth control system is constructed to track a given desired attitude trajectory, while guaranteeing almost semi-global exponential stability. It is extended to achieve global exponential stability by using a hybrid control scheme based on multiple configuration error functions. They are further extended to obtain robustness with respect to a fixed disturbance using an integral term. The resulting robust, global exponential stability for attitude tracking is the unique contribution of this paper, and these are developed directly on the special orthogonal group to avoid singularities of local coordinates, or ambiguities associated with quaternions. The desirable features are illustrated by numerical examples.

preprint2014arXiv

Spacecraft Position and Attitude Formation Control using Line-of-Sight Observations

This paper studies formation control of an arbitrary number of spacecraft based on a serial network structure. The leader controls its absolute position and absolute attitude with respect to an inertial frame, and the followers control its relative position and attitude with respect to another spacecraft assigned by the serial network. The unique feature is that both the absolute attitude and the relative attitude control systems are developed directly in terms of the line-of-sight observations between spacecraft, without need for estimating the full absolute and relative attitudes, to improve accuracy and efficiency. Control systems are developed on the nonlinear configuration manifold, guaranteeing exponential stability. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the desirable properties of the proposed control system.

preprint2013arXiv

Geometric Nonlinear PID Control of a Quadrotor UAV on SE(3)

Nonlinear PID control systems for a quadrotor UAV are proposed to follow an attitude tracking command and a position tracking command. The control systems are developed directly on the special Euclidean group to avoid singularities of minimal attitude representations or ambiguity of quaternions. A new form of integral control terms is proposed to guarantee almost global asymptotic stability when there exist uncertainties in the quadrotor dynamics. A rigorous mathematical proof is given. Numerical example illustrating a complex maneuver, and a preliminary experimental result are provided.

preprint2012arXiv

Dynamics and Control of a Chain Pendulum on a Cart

A geometric form of Euler-Lagrange equations is developed for a chain pendulum, a serial connection of $n$ rigid links connected by spherical joints, that is attached to a rigid cart. The cart can translate in a horizontal plane acted on by a horizontal control force while the chain pendulum can undergo complex motion in 3D due to gravity. The configuration of the system is in $(\Sph^2)^n \times \Re^2$. We examine the rich structure of the uncontrolled system dynamics: the equilibria of the system correspond to any one of $2^n$ different chain pendulum configurations and any cart location. A linearization about each equilibrium, and the corresponding controllability criterion is provided. We also show that any equilibrium can be asymptotically stabilized by using a proportional-derivative type controller, and we provide a few numerical examples.

preprint2012arXiv

Vision-Based Relative Attitude Formation Tracking

Relative attitude formation control systems are developed for multiple spacecraft, based on the line-of-sight measurements between spacecraft in formation. The proposed control systems are unique in the sense that they do not require constructing the full attitudes of spacecraft and comparing them to obtain the relative attitudes indirectly. Instead, the control inputs are directly expressed in terms of line-of-sight measurements to control relative attitude formation precisely and efficiently. It is shown that the relative attitudes almost globally asymptotically track their desired relative attitudes. The desirable properties are illustrated by a numerical example.

preprint2011arXiv

Control of Complex Maneuvers for a Quadrotor UAV using Geometric Methods on SE(3)

This paper provides new results for control of complex flight maneuvers for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The flight maneuvers are defined by a concatenation of flight modes or primitives, each of which is achieved by a nonlinear controller that solves an output tracking problem. A mathematical model of the quadrotor UAV rigid body dynamics, defined on the configuration space $\SE$, is introduced as a basis for the analysis. The quadrotor UAV has four input degrees of freedom, namely the magnitudes of the four rotor thrusts; each flight mode is defined by solving an asymptotic optimal tracking problem. Although many flight modes can be studied, we focus on three output tracking problems, namely (1) outputs given by the vehicle attitude, (2) outputs given by the three position variables for the vehicle center of mass, and (3) output given by the three velocity variables for the vehicle center of mass. A nonlinear tracking controller is developed on the special Euclidean group $\SE$ for each flight mode, and the closed loop is shown to have desirable closed loop properties that are almost global in each case. Several numerical examples, including one example in which the quadrotor recovers from being initially upside down and another example that includes switching and transitions between different flight modes, illustrate the versatility and generality of the proposed approach.

preprint2011arXiv

Nonlinear Robust Tracking Control of a Quadrotor UAV on SE(3)

This paper provides nonlinear tracking control systems for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that are robust to bounded uncertainties. A mathematical model of a quadrotor UAV is defined on the special Euclidean group, and nonlinear output-tracking controllers are developed to follow (1) an attitude command, and (2) a position command for the vehicle center of mass. The controlled system has the desirable properties that the tracking errors are uniformly ultimately bounded, and the size of the ultimate bound can be arbitrarily reduced by control system parameters. Numerical examples illustrating complex maneuvers are provided.

preprint2011arXiv

Robust Adaptive Geometric Tracking Controls on SO(3) with an Application to the Attitude Dynamics of a Quadrotor UAV

This paper provides new results for a robust adaptive tracking control of the attitude dynamics of a rigid body. Both of the attitude dynamics and the proposed control system are globally expressed on the special orthogonal group, to avoid complexities and ambiguities associated with other attitude representations such as Euler angles or quaternions. By designing an adaptive law for the inertia matrix of a rigid body, the proposed control system can asymptotically follow an attitude command without the knowledge of the inertia matrix, and it is extended to guarantee boundedness of tracking errors in the presence of unstructured disturbances. These are illustrated by numerical examples and experiments for the attitude dynamics of a quadrotor UAV.

preprint2011arXiv

Stable Manifolds of Saddle Points for Pendulum Dynamics on S^2 and SO(3)

Attitude control systems naturally evolve on nonlinear configuration spaces, such as S^2 and SO(3). The nontrivial topological properties of these configuration spaces result in interesting and complicated nonlinear dynamics when studying the corresponding closed loop attitude control systems. In this paper, we review some global analysis and simulation techniques that allow us to describe the global nonlinear stable manifolds of the hyperbolic equilibria of these closed loop systems. A deeper understanding of these invariant manifold structures are critical to understanding the global stabilization properties of closed loop control systems on nonlinear spaces, and these global analysis techniques are applicable to a broad range of problems on nonlinear configuration manifolds.

preprint2010arXiv

Geometric Numerical Integration for Complex Dynamics of Tethered Spacecraft

This paper presents an analytical model and a geometric numerical integrator for a tethered spacecraft model that is composed of two rigid bodies connected by an elastic tether. This model includes important dynamic characteristics of tethered spacecraft in orbit, namely the nonlinear coupling between deformations of tether, rotational dynamics of rigid bodies, a reeling mechanism, and orbital dynamics. A geometric numerical integrator, referred to as a Lie group variational integrator, is developed to numerically preserve the Hamiltonian structure of the presented model and its Lie group configuration manifold. The structure-preserving properties are particularly useful for studying complex dynamics of a tethered spacecraft over a long period of time. These properties are illustrated by numerical simulations.

preprint2010arXiv

Geometric Tracking Control of the Attitude Dynamics of a Rigid Body on SO(3)

This paper provides new results for a tracking control of the attitude dynamics of a rigid body. Both of the attitude dynamics and the proposed control system are globally expressed on the special orthogonal group, to avoid complexities and ambiguities associated with other attitude representations such as Euler angles or quaternions. By selecting an attitude error function carefully, we show that the proposed control system guarantees a desirable tracking performance uniformly for nontrivial rotational maneuvers involving a large initial attitude error. In a special case where the desired attitude command is fixed, we also show that the attitude dynamics can be stabilized without the knowledge of an inertia matrix. These are illustrated by numerical examples.

preprint2006arXiv

Deterministic Global Attitude Estimation

A deterministic attitude estimation problem for a rigid body in an attitude dependent potential field with bounded measurement errors is studied. An attitude estimation scheme that does not use generalized coordinate representations of the attitude is presented here. Assuming that the initial attitude, angular velocity and measurement noise lie within given ellipsoidal bounds, an uncertainty ellipsoid that bounds the attitude and the angular velocity of the rigid body is obtained. The center of the uncertainty ellipsoid provides point estimates, and its size gives the accuracy of the estimates. The point estimates and the uncertainty ellipsoids are propagated using a Lie group variational integrator and its linearization, respectively. The estimation scheme is optimal in the sense that the attitude estimation error and the size of the uncertainty ellipsoid is minimized at each measurement instant, and it is global since the attitude is represented by a rotation matrix.

preprint2006arXiv

Optimal Control of a Rigid Body using Geometrically Exact Computations on SE(3)

Optimal control problems are formulated and efficient computational procedures are proposed for combined orbital and rotational maneuvers of a rigid body in three dimensions. The rigid body is assumed to act under the influence of forces and moments that arise from a potential and from control forces and moments. The key features of this paper are its use of computational procedures that are guaranteed to preserve the geometry of the optimal solutions. The theoretical basis for the computational procedures is summarized, and examples of optimal spacecraft maneuvers are presented.