A simplified model for a hovercraft is a planar rigid body with a variable-direction thruster acting on a point distinct from the centre of mass of the body. The problems of time-optimal and force-optimal control for this system are initiated. In particular, (1) sub-optimal control using decoupling vector fields (an idea of a preprint of Bullo and Lynch) is investigated, and (2) a complete classification of the singular extremals for the system is made.

206K pdf
Last Updated: Tue Jun 18 09:11:22 2024