A method and apparatus are presented for guiding a store, represented by a dynamic system having transitory nonlinear characteristics, between release from a platform and an activation of a mission autopilot along an optimal path. A nominal reference trajectory is determined that optimizes a desired performance index for the dynamic system using optimal control theory. A feedback control system is implemented that optimizes an original performance index to second order in a presence of disturbances along the optimal path using neighboring optimal control. The feedback control system converges to a linear time invariant regulator approaching the desired operating condition along the optimal path. Finally, control of the store is transitioned to the mission autopilot.

A method for planning and launching two or more missiles, to be included in the same mission, and where this is done from one or more aircraft in such a way that the missiles arrive at same target approximately at the same time without interfering with each other on the way to the target. The planning of the mission is performed by sending a set of identical mission data to the missiles prior to launch; letting each missile be assigned a unique identity, letting each missile calculate identical trajectories and a unique offset to this, in one or more of four dimensions, where a resulting offset trajectory is unique for each missile and based on the identical mission data and unique identity, and launching the missiles included in the same mission.

Provided is a tailstock type vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle and a control method thereof. The unmanned aerial vehicle is mainly composed of a fuselage, wings, ailerons, empennages, an elevator, a rudder, an engine, an attitude adjustment nozzle, a landing gear, and the like. The wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the middle of the fuselage; the ailerons are hinged to the trailing edges of the wings on the both sides; the empennages are located at the tail of the fuselage, and a form of vertical empennages+horizontal empennages or V-shaped empennages can be used; the elevator and rudder are hinged to the trailing edges of the empennages; the engine is arranged at the tail of the fuselage for producing main thrust.

An aircraft control device calculates trajectories of multiple aircraft that is member of a flight by use of a method such as Direct Collocation with Nonlinear Programming (DCNLP), in which an optimal solution is obtained by discretizing continuous variables. Nodes indicating the trajectory are calculated and set by substituting a discretized control variable of the aircraft into an aircraft equation of motion, or by use of other methods. Instead of calculating the trajectory of the aircraft as a continuous problem, discretisation reduces the calculation amount and time required for the trajectory calculation. The aircraft control device then determines, from among trajectories satisfying constraints corresponding to the role of the aircraft, an optimal trajectory based on an evaluation value obtained by an objective function corresponding to the role. Accordingly, the aircraft control device can calculate a more optimal trajectory corresponding to the role of the aircraft in a shorter time.

Disclosed is a Global Positioning System (GPS) independent navigation system (GINS) for a self-guided aerial vehicle (SAV). The SAV has a housing, where the housing has an outer surface, a length, a front-end, and a longitudinal axis along the length of the housing. The GINS includes a first optical sensor, a second optical sensor, a storage unit, and a comparator.

An ordnance munition is included in an intelligent ordnance projectile delivery system and equipped with targeting and/or guidance systems that allow the ordnance munition to collaborate with other devices to intelligently select targets and/or to guide the ordnance munition to its selected target. The ordnance munition may be configured to determine its rough location, generate first location information based on the rough location, and send the generated location information to a wireless transceiver that is in close proximity to the ordnance munition. The ordnance munition may receive and use location information from the wireless transceiver to determine its more precise location, generate second location information based on the determined more precise location, and alter its flight path based on the generated second location information.

An ordnance munition in an intelligent ordnance projectile delivery system may be equipped with targeting and/or guidance systems that allow the ordnance munition to collaborate with other devices to intelligently select targets and/or to guide the ordnance munition to its selected target. The ordnance munition may be configured to determine its approximate location, generate first location information based on the determined approximate location, and send the generated first location information to a second ordnance munition. The ordnance munition may receive information from the second ordnance munition, determine a more precise location of the first ordnance munition based on the information received from the second ordnance munition, and generate second location information based on the determined more precise location. The ordnance munition may alter its flight path based on the generated second location information.

An ordnance munition is included in an intelligent ordnance projectile delivery system and equipped with targeting and guidance systems that allow the ordnance munition to collaborate with other devices to intelligently select targets and/or to guide the ordnance munition to its selected target. An ordnance munition may determine its approximate location, generate first location information that includes two or three-dimensional location values based on the determined approximate location, and send the generated information to a wireless transceiver in close proximity. In response, the ordnance munition may receive and use information from the wireless transceiver to determine its more precise location. The ordnance munition may generate second location information that includes two or three-dimensional location information based on the determined more precise location, and use the generated second location information to alter its flight path.

An ordnance munition is included in an intelligent ordnance projectile delivery system and equipped with targeting and guidance systems that allow the ordnance munition to collaborate with other devices to intelligently select targets and/or to guide the ordnance munition to its selected target. The ordnance munition may determine its approximate current location, form a communication group with a wireless transceiver that is in close proximity, and send the approximate current location to the wireless transceiver and/or other devices in the communication group. In response, the ordnance munition may receive location information from the wireless transceiver and/or other devices that are in the communication group. The ordnance munition may determine its more precise location based on the information received from the wireless transceiver, and alter its flight path based in the updated and more precise location.

A method and apparatus are presented for guiding a store, represented by a dynamic system having transitory nonlinear characteristics, between release from a platform and an activation of a mission autopilot along an optimal path. A nominal reference trajectory is determined that optimizes a desired performance index for the dynamic system using optimal control theory. A feedback control system is implemented that optimizes an original performance index to second order in a presence of disturbances along the optimal path using neighboring optimal control. The feedback control system converges to a linear time invariant regulator approaching the desired operating condition along the optimal path. Finally, control of the store is transitioned to the mission autopilot.