I specialize in the application of trajectory optimization to problems in aerospace. Examples of recent work include:
- autonomous exploration of a cluttered environment by an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV)
- fuel-efficient rendezvous of spacecraft for Mars Sample Return mission
- robust air traffic flow management
This technologies involved include:
- non-convex optimization for avoidance constraints, such as obstacle avoidance or air traffic separation
- robust model predictive control, applying optimization in real time to compensate for disturbances and other uncertainty
- distributed optimization and control, enabling cooperation across large teams of vehicles
In all of the work, the challenges are to find solutions that are:
- high performance, e.g. handling high levels of air traffic or using minimal fuel
- robust, able to work in uncertain environments or even without a map at all
- scalable, able to extend to very large numbers of vehicles
- fast, using efficient algorithms to respond quickly to new information