Moving Target Localization and Enclosing Control with Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

This work tackles the problem of localizing and controlling fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to enclose an unknown moving target. Each fixed-wing UAV only measures the distance to the target. An information filter is proposed to target localization via measured distance. Following this, an enclosing control law is developed to direct the fixed-wing UAV along a shared circular path with a target-centered, called motion planning. To do this, the fixed-wing UAV has a spatial temporal curve, which integrates two types of motion: tracking the trajectory of the target and maneuvering along the circular path around the target. The stability of the closed-loop system, incorporating the proposed estimation and enclosing control, is rigorously analyzed. Comprehensive computer simulations in two-dimensional settings are used to illustrate the strategy’s effectiveness.