4D Trajectory Optimization Satisfying Waypoint and No-Fly Zone Constraints

This paper presents a model of an innovative Flight Management System (FMS) which is purposely developed to control a commercial airliner along an optimized 4-Dimensional Trajectory (4DT), respecting time and path constraints, while avoiding No-Fly Zones (NFZ). The optimum, expressed in terms of minimum fuel consumption, is optained by solving an Optimization Control Problem (OCP) by means of the Chebyshev Pseudospectral numerical direct collocation scheme. The OCP trajectory solution is a discrete sequence of optimal aircraft states, which guarantee the minimum-fuel trip between two waypoints. With the aim of controlling the aircraft along lateral, vertical and longitudinal axis, and in order to respect NFZ and waypoints constraints along the optimum 4DT, different guidance navigation and control techniques can be implemented. The effectiveness of the algorithms is evaluated through simulations performed in the Multipurpose Aircraft Simulation Laboratory (MASLab), on a Boeing 747-100 model, equipped with a complete Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) suite.