Syntax-based guidance for autonomous aggressive aerobatics in urban environments

Abstract

This document proposes and implements a new guidance paradigm for an autonomous aerobatic helicopter. In addition, it presents the design of a hammerhead aerobatic maneuver on the same helicopter, and validates both designs in flight. The proposed guidance architecture integrates a new path-following algorithm with a syntax-based dynamically-reconfigurable automaton to enable autonomous flight with aggressive aerobatics in a spatially-constrained urban environment.