Extended flight through energy extraction from atmospheric phenomena

在许多飞行器任务中，长时间保持高空飞行的能力是一个重要的和期望的属性。虽然可以通过改进车辆空气动力学、推进和制造材料来延长续航时间，但研究可以提高车辆飞行特性的操作策略同样重要。在节省内部能量的同时延长飞行器续航能力的一种方法是利用大气现象，如风梯度（动态翱翔）、上升的空气团（热翱翔）和阵风（阵风翱翔）来获得高度。本研究探索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小化飞行器的内部能量消耗，从而增强或扩展其操作能力。

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.