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Paper details
Number 2 - June 2025
Volume 35 - 2025
Rapid generation of the shortest generalized Dubins path in forced landing
Min Tian, Yingjing Shi, Rui Li, Esteban Tlelo-Cuautle
Abstract
This paper investigates the problem of rapid shortest path generation during an aircraft’s forced landing, where the heading
angle of the target point is variable. To address the minimum turning radius constraint of the aircraft, the shortest path is
determined using Dubins curves. Additionally, the shortest generalized Dubins path is selected when the heading angle of
the target point is not fixed. Specifically, the paper focuses on four generalized Dubins curves which are relevant to forced
landings. By comparing the lengths of these curves, the shortest curve is identified for different positional relationships
between the forced landing starting and ending points, with theoretical justifications provided. Additionally, distance
calculation methods for these curves are presented to determine the distance of the shortest generalized Dubins path. The
effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed through numerical simulations.
Keywords
generalized Dubins curve, path planning, forced landing