Comparative Analysis of Path Following Algorithms for Small Fixed Wing Surveying UAVs

Abstract Surveying using UAVs is one of the recent applications that have widely spread in recent decades. UAV Mapping and surveying are powerful and intellegent technique for land surveying and have a privilege over classical methods as its more faster, reliable, efficient, more accurate, and more cost efficient. One of the critical challenges in these types of UAVs’ autopilot design is the guidance (path following) technique which should be accurately designed to ensure precise tracking of the desired waypoints. Furthermore, there is a crucial need to increase the final accuracy of the assigned fixed or maneuvering points. In this research, several path following techniques based on geometric relations is designed, tested, and verified with the UAV model. In addition, a comparative analysis between these different algorithms is analyzed to choose the optimum technique which is to be implemented with the flight controller. Besides, the simulation is verified with different percentages of wind disturbance and aero dynamics coefficients up to 60% uncertainitiy. Finally, Simulation results show the superiority of the Non-Linear Guidance Law (NLGL) as the optimum path following.