Analysis and development of a reliable fixed wing UAV control system for mission profiles with restricted GPS availability

This paper is motivated by the actual need for safer and more reliable flight control systems for fixed wing UAVs. In certain mission scenarios, it is necessary to fly close to big structures at low altitudes where the availability of GPS sensor data cannot be guaranteed. Two different control strategies have been analyzed, with the main difference consisting in the utilization of GPS data for flight control. An extended system allowing those two control strategies to complement one to another has been developed. Its performance has been analyzed through simulation and in flight experiments. The result is a more reliable flight control system for flying in areas with restricted GPS signal.