Extended flight through energy extraction from atmospheric phenomena

在许多飞行器任务中，长时间保持高空的能力是重要的和期望的属性。虽然可以通过改进飞行器的空气动力学、推进和制造材料来延长续航时间，但同样重要的是研究能够提高飞行器飞行特性的操作策略。一种延长飞行器续航时间同时节省其内部能量的方法是利用大气现象，例如风梯度（动态飙升），上升的空气质量（热飙升）和阵风（阵风飙升）来获得高度。这项研究探讨了最佳能量管理飞行策略的建模和制定，这些策略利用这种大气条件来最大限度地减少飞行器的内部能量消耗，从而提高或扩展其作战能力。

The ability to maintain aloft for extended periods of time is an important and desired attribute in many aerial vehicle missions. While endurance can be extended through improvements in vehicle aerodynamics, propulsion, and fabrication materials, it is equally important to examine operational strategies that can enhance the vehicle flight characteristics. One way to extend the vehicle's endurance while saving its own internal energy is to take advantage of atmospheric phenomena, such as wind-gradients (dynamic soaring), rising masses of air (thermal soaring), and gusts of air (gust soaring) to gain altitude. This research explores the modelling and formulation of optimal energy management flying strategies which take advantage of such atmospheric conditions to minimize the vehicle's internal energy expenditure allowing it to enhance or extend its operational capabilities.