Decentralized Control of a Group of Homogeneous Vehicles in Obstructed Environment

The presented solution is a decentralized control system with a minimal informational interaction between the objects in the group. During control and path planning the obstacles are transformed into repellers by the synthesized controls. The main feature distinguishing the developed approach from the potential fields method is that the vehicle moves in the fields of forces depending not only on the mutual positions of a robot and an obstacle but also on the additional variables allowing solving the problem of robot’s path planning using a distributed control system (Pshikhopov and Ali, 2011). Unlike the work by Pshikhopov and Ali, 2011, here an additional dynamic variable is used to introduce stable and unstable states depending on the state variables of the robot and the neighboring objects. The local control system of each vehicle uses only the values of its own speeds and coordinates and those of the neighboring objects. There is no centralized control algorithm. In the local control algorithms the obstacles are represented as vehicles being a part of the group which allows us to unify the control systems for heterogeneous groups. An analysis was performed that proves existence and asymptotic stability of the steady state motion modes. The preformed simulation confirms the synthesis and analysis results

THE STUDY OF PATH-FOLLOWING ACCURACY OF ROBOTIC SINGLE-ROTOR HELICOPTER

In this paper we study the accuracy of a single-rotor robotic small-scale helicopter flight along a complex path. The control algorithms for the autopilot are synthesized using the position-trajectory control approach. We use hardware-software complex to test the helicopter autopilot. The simulation in hardware-software complex is used to debug the autopilot software and complex study of autopilot control algorithms in early development stages without full-scale experiments. The paper shows results of the simulation of single-rotor small-scale helicopter flight

Research of Algorithms for Approaching and Docking Underwater Vehicle with Underwater Station

Authors consider problem of maintenance and service of underwater vehicles. Usually, underwater station or accompanying ship is required for such operations. Docking is one of the most difficult tasks on the vehicle path from the outer space to the servicing bay. Algorithms allowing docking were presented in the earlier paper, and in this paper authors prove their stability. Movement control is based upon the path regulator. The stability of the closed-loop system according to Liapunov with the given control and limitations is proven. Equations, showing that vehicle will complete the positioning task with account to given limitations and staying stable are given. The criterion for switching movement and “positioning to point” algorithms is proposed. Achievement of the developed criterion was researched theoretically and in computer simulation. Experiments provide deviation of actual coordinates and velocity from the required ones and proved that achieving of criterion is enough to claim that system will be stable while performing algorithms with limitations for controls

IMPROVING ENGINEERING EDUCATION SYSTEM TO ENSURE PERSONNEL TRAINING FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRY

The article discusses the ways and means for improving the education process in accordance with the needs of the defense-industrial complex. Determination of the speciallevels of educational qualifications (bachelor, specialist, bachelor-master, specialist-master) is considered as an effective mechanism for organizing specialized education to meet the changing needs of employers. Thus the main focus is made on providing conditions for the advanced development of basic and modern technologies of defense enterprises. Analyzing the existing problematic issues, both from the position of university and from the position of employers, the authors suggest a system of stepwise measures aimed at improvingthe structure of the educational process, development of a system of continuous education, as well as at the formation of an effective mechanism for educational management according with the requirements of employers

Method of investigating thermal fluctuation processes in problems of diagnostics and prediction of insulating materials

Introduction. The investigation of thermal fluctuation processes in insulating materials in accordance with the thermal conductivity theory for solving the problems on diagnostics and forecasting the residual life of insulating materials on the basis of a digital recorder, as well as on the nondestructive temperature method, is described. The work objective is to improve the nondestructive diagnostics methods, namely, the development of an automated control system for the state of insulation, and a computational and experimental study. Materials and Methods. Mathematical models that describe the layer-by-layer temperature distribution of the cable line in accordance with the theory of thermal conductivity using Fourier differential equation are proposed. A generalized algorithm for the operation of the PCL parameters monitoring recorder is created. It implements the technique of nondestructive testing of thermal fluctuation processes in PCL insulation materials. A comparative analysis of the experimental and calculated characteristics of the temperature distributions is carried out. At that, different charging modes of operation and functions of the cable current variation are investigated. Research Results. Mathematical models and software for numerical simulation of the temperature field in the cable cross-section in accordance with the theory of thermal conductivity are developed. Physical properties of materials and the geometric dimensions of cable elements are considered. A comparative analysis of the experimental and calculated characteristics of the temperature distributions is made. The developed simplified mathematical model for determining the temperature of the most heated point of the cable core insulation on the basis of the measured values of the surface temperature of the power cable and the air temperature for various changes in the effective value of the cable current is validated. A method for investigating thermal fluctuation processes based on the layered temperature sensors in PCL is developed and justified. That makes it possible to combine two control techniques - prediction of the growing insulation defect and nondestructive testing of the thermal fluctuation processes of a power cable - in one measuring tool. The suggested mathematical model can be used as a base for calculating the thermal processes of power cables in real time mode, as its adequacy is confirmed by the experimental studies. Discussion and Conclusions. The obtained results can be used in the development of the theory, methods of diagnostics and prediction of the insulating materials state in complex distributed systems under various operating conditions