A predictive control-based algorithm for path following of autonomous aerial vehicles

The present paper addresses the path following problem of nonholonomic systems by considering a predictive control-based framework. The particularity of the present study resides in the use of differential flatness formalism for a reference trajectory generation. Furthermore, having the reference trajectory available in a parameterized form, an optimization-based problem which minimizes the tracking error for the nonholonomic system can be formulated and further enhanced via path following. The proposed method exhibits effective performance validated through simulations for the control of autonomous aerial vehicles.