A hybrid control architecture for aggressive maneuvering of autonomous helicopters

We propose a hierarchical control architecture for aggressive maneuvering applicable to autonomous helicopters. In order to reduce the computational requirements of the control problem to be solved to achieve aggressive trajectories, a hybrid system framework is used, which allows for a substantial reduction in the complexity of the system, as well as for guarantees on the stability of the overall behavior. The hybrid controller is based on an automaton whose states represent feasible trajectory primitives. The selection of manoeuvres, and hence the generation of the complete trajectory, can be cast as an optimal control problem that can be solved efficiently in real time.