Regional Station-keeping Control
Author: CislunarSpace
Site: https://cislunarspace.cn
Definition
Regional station-keeping control refers to active control techniques that maintain an aircraft's relative position within a designated airspace. For stratospheric airships, the objective is to fly within a preset station-keeping radius around a designated center point while maintaining the station-keeping altitude within acceptable error margins.
Control Objectives
| Metric | Description | Typical Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal position accuracy | Distance from target center | < 1-5 km |
| Altitude accuracy | Deviation from nominal altitude | < 100 m |
| Mission endurance | Single mission duration | 14-90 days |
| Energy efficiency | Energy consumption per unit time | Minimized |
Core Challenges
1. Wind Disturbance
Stratospheric wind speeds reach 30-100 m/s with direction varying by altitude and season. Main strategies:
- Power against wind: Active propeller compensation
- Altitude scheduling: Utilizing the quasi-zero wind layer
- Passive adaptation: Low-drag外形 reducing wind-induced drift
2. Buoyancy-weight Imbalance
Diurnal temperature differences cause helium thermal expansion/contraction:
When buoyancy and gravity are unbalanced, the airship ascends or descends.
3. Energy Constraints
Propulsion and thermal control compete for limited solar energy.
Control Methods
Classical Control
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| PID Control | Simple | Nonlinear handling difficult |
| Sliding Mode Control | Robust | Chattering |
| Backstepping SMC | Fast convergence | Computationally complex |
Intelligent Control
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Fuzzy Backstepping | Suitable for nonlinear | Expert knowledge dependent |
| Deep Reinforcement Learning | Strong self-learning | Training data requirements |
| Gaussian Process Regression | Uncertainty quantification | Real-time performance |
Related Concepts
References
- Chen W, Wang H. Regional Station-keeping Control Technology for Stratospheric Airships[J]. Acta Aeronautica, 2025.
- Zhang Y, et al. Deep Reinforcement Learning for Stratospheric Airship Station-keeping[J]. AIAA Journal, 2024.