Singularity-free methods for aircraft flight path optimization using Euler angles and quaternions

The purpose of this work is to rewrite the equations of motion such that even third-class trajectories can be optimized with the current parameter optimization methods. At first the commonly used coordinate systems and Euler angles are presented in Section II. It will be realized that the definition of the Euler angles introduces additional singularities. A short derivation of the commonly-used equations of motion follows for comparison and better understanding of the later derived sets of equations of motion. Section II closes with a reduction of the optimal control problem to a parameter optimization problem. Some characteristic properties and assumptions of the parameter optimization problem are pointed out along with the necessary equations and conditions needed to solve it. Section III introduces several methods that allow integration of second- and third-class trajectories as long as some restrictions are imposed on the allowable trajectories. The first method is the so-called inertial-acceleration method. It is based on the idea that the velocity yaw angle and the velocity pitch angle can be replaced by the velocity components as measured in an inertial reference frame. The so-called two-system method is derived next. It employes the idea of having two sets of equations of motion derived in different reference frames, and thus, having their singularities at different points. In detailed discussions the problems that appear with both methods are explained, and solutions are presented, the emphasis always being on the use of these equations with optimization methods. Section III also includes a method that allows integration of third-class trajectories as long as they can be flown in the vertical plane. This method results directly from the commonly-used equations of motion after removing a restriction on the flight path angle. Because all methods of Section III have still the bank angle as the control, they are referred to here as Euler-angle methods. Section IV presents the quaternion method. Although ...