Motion Control of Drift-Free, Left-Invariant Systems on Lie Groups, Part II: A General Constructive Control Algorithm

Abstract

In this paper we present a general algorithm for constructing open-loop controls to solve the complete constructive controllability problem for drift-free invariant systems on Lie groups that satisfy the Lie algebra controllability rank condition with up to ( p - 1) iterations of Lie brackets, p = 1,2,3. Specifically, given only the structure constants of the given system, an initial condition Xi, a final condition Xf and a final time tf, the algorithm specifies open-loop, small (e) amplitude sinusoidal controls such that the system starting from Xi, reaches Xf at t = tf, with O (ep) accuracy. The algorithm is based on the formulas and geometric interpretation of the average approximations to the solution given in Part I to this paper. To illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithms, we apply it to three problems: the spacecraft attitude control problem with only two controls available, the unicycle motion planning problem and the autonomous underwater vehicle motion control problem with only three controls available.