Publications::
Research Interests ::
Resume
Sensing & control of spatially distributed systems
We consider linear transformations that characterize equivalent classes of relative sensing and control topologies for a spatially distributed system. Tools from algebraic graph theory are employed to derive an explicit formula for such characterizations. Our goal is to gain insight into how the relative sensing geometry in a spatially distributed dynamic system influences the control system design. The objective is to coordinate the states of a multi-vehicle system and for our problem, the coordinated states are the relative states between any two agents.
publication - ACC '05
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publication - CDC '05
Graph Theory
In order to implement the T-transformation (linear transformation discussed above), some graph theory functionality was required and here are some general stand alone
graph theory functions written in MATLAB. I wrote this to play with MATLAB GUIs before I started working on this problem, but the back end functions ended up being very useful for simulations of this work.
Two Aircraft Leader-Follower Formation
In this work, we apply the leader-follower
formation flying control proposed by [Mesbahi + Hadaegh]
for a point mass model, to a two aircraft formation. We follow the basic principles of the above paper in deriving the error dynamical system and subsequently, a controller that steers the error states to the origin. Since the models are not point masses but more general dynamical systems,
there are additional terms in the error dynamical
system; treat these terms as constant external disturbances and subsequently employ
frequency shaped cost functionals presented in [Gupta] to synthesize an appropriate controller for dual-aircraft formation flight.
Write Up Reference [Mesbahi + Hadaegh]: M. Mesbahi and F. Y. Hadaegh.
Formation flying of multiple spacecraft via graphs, matrix inequalities, and switching . AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, (24) 2: 369-377, 2001.
Reference: [Gupta]: N.K. Gupta.
Frequency shaped cost functionals: Extension of Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian methods. AIAA Journal of Guidance and Control, Vol. 3, No.6, Nov.-Dec.1980, pp. 529-535.
K2X Project: Design of a 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle
The K2X (Kistler 2 Experimental) project was initiated by Prof. A. Bruckner in response to a design competition announced by Kistler Aerospace in fall of 1998. The goal of the competition was the design of the next generation of the Kistler Aerospace K1 Reusable Launch Vehicle. The concept is a two stage to orbit, vertical take-off, horizontal landing, autonomous RLV. The first stage utilizes lifting surfaces and air-breathing propulsion to perform a flyback to the launch site. The second stage is a lifting body with small aerodynamic control surfaces, and uses parachutes for the final phase of its descent.
project webpage
publication - AIAA JPC '00
Research Interests 
- Control theory and applications to space systems
- Linear systems theory
- Control of Distributed / Networked systems
- Applications of graph theory in analyzing such systems
- Algebraic graph theory
- Robust control, LMIs
- Programming / Simulation / Visualization
