Safe Periodic Trochoidal Paths for Fixed-Wing UAVs in Confined Windy Environments

Abstract: Due to their energy-efficient flight characteristics, fixed-wing type UAVs are useful robotic tools for long-range and duration flight applications in large-scale environments. However, flying fixed-wing UAV in confined environments, such as mountainous regions, can be challenging due to their limited maneuverability and sensitivity to uncertain wind conditions. In this work, we first analyze periodic trochoidal paths that can be used to define wind-aware terminal loitering states. We then propose a wind-invariant safe set of trochoidal paths along with a switching strategy for selecting the corresponding minimum-extent periodic path type. Finally, we show that planning with this minimum-extent set allows us to safely reach up to 10 times more locations in mountainous terrain compared to planning with a single, conservative loitering maneuver.