Hossein B Jond, Logan E Beaver, Martin Jiroušek, Naiemeh Ahmadlou, Veli Bakırcıoğlu and Martin Saska. Flatness-based finite-horizon multi-UAV formation trajectory planning and directionally aware collision avoidance tracking. Journal of the Franklin Institute 362(12):107867, 2025. URL PDF, DOI BibTeX

@article{JOND2025,
	title = "Flatness-based finite-horizon multi-UAV formation trajectory planning and directionally aware collision avoidance tracking",
	journal = "Journal of the Franklin Institute",
	volume = 362,
	number = 12,
	pages = 107867,
	year = 2025,
	issn = "0016-0032",
	doi = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfranklin.2025.107867",
	url = "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016003225003606",
	pdf = "data/papers/jond2025franklin.pdf",
	author = "Hossein B. Jond and Logan E. Beaver and Martin Jiroušek and Naiemeh Ahmadlou and Veli Bakırcıoğlu and Martin Saska",
	keywords = "Differential flatness, Formation control, Pontryagin’s principle",
	abstract = "Optimal collision-free formation control of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a challenge. The state-of-the-art optimal control approaches often rely on numerical methods sensitive to initial guesses. This paper presents an innovative collision-free finite-time formation control scheme for multiple UAVs leveraging the differential flatness of the UAV dynamics, eliminating the need for numerical methods. We formulate a finite-time optimal control problem to plan a formation trajectory for feasible initial states. This optimal control problem in formation trajectory planning involves a collective performance index to meet the formation requirements to achieve relative positions and velocity consensus. It is solved by applying Pontryagin’s principle. Subsequently, a collision-constrained regulating problem is addressed to ensure collision-free tracking of the planned formation trajectory. The tracking problem incorporates a directionally aware collision avoidance strategy that prioritizes avoiding UAVs in the forward path and relative approach. It assigns lower priority to those on the sides with an oblique relative approach, disregarding UAVs behind and not in the relative approach. The high-fidelity simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme."
}

Martin Jiroušek, Tomáš Báča and Martin Saska. Towards Fully Onboard State Estimation and Trajectory Tracking for UAVs with Suspended Payloads. In Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics. 2025, 128–138. URL PDF, DOI BibTeX

@inproceedings{jirousekTowardsUavWithSuspendedPayload,
	author = "Martin Jiroušek and Tomáš Báča and Martin Saska",
	title = "Towards Fully Onboard State Estimation and Trajectory Tracking for UAVs with Suspended Payloads",
	booktitle = "Proceedings of the 22nd {International} {Conference} on {Informatics} in {Control}, {Automation} and {Robotics}",
	year = 2025,
	pages = "128--138",
	address = "Marbella, Spain",
	publisher = "SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications",
	organization = "INSTICC",
	doi = "10.5220/0013789200003982",
	isbn = "978-989-758-770-2",
	url = "https://www.scitepress.org/DigitalLibrary/Link.aspx?doi=10.5220/0013789200003982",
	language = "en",
	pdf = "data/papers/icinco2025jirousek.pdf",
	abstract = "This paper addresses the problem of tracking the position of a cable-suspended payload carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle, with a focus on real-world deployment and minimal hardware requirements. In contrast to many existing approaches that rely on motion-capture systems, additional onboard cameras, or instrumented payloads, we propose a framework that uses only standard onboard sensors—specifically, real-time kinematic global navigation satellite system measurements and data from the onboard inertial measurement unit—to estimate and control the payload’s position. The system models the full coupled dynamics of the aerial vehicle and payload, and integrates a linear Kalman filter for state estimation, a model predictive contouring control planner, and an incremental model predictive controller. The control architecture is designed to remain effective despite sensing limitations and estimation uncertainty. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the proposed system achieves performance comparable to control based on ground-truth measurements, with only minor degradation ({\textless} 6\%). The system also shows strong robustness to variations in payload parameters. Field experiments further validate the framework, confirming its practical applicability and reliable performance in outdoor environments using only off-the-shelf aerial vehicle hardware."
}