/* SpeedToFly class by Samuel Tabor, 2021. Calculates the optimal speed to fly given drag polar, expected climb rate in next thermal and horizontal and vertical air movement between thermals. */ #include "SpeedToFly.h" void SpeedToFly::update(float Wx, float Wz, float Wexp, float CLmin, float CLmax) { // The solution to the speed-to-fly problem does not have a closed form solution. A Newton // method with some additional checks will converge to an acceptable level within 3-4 iterations. // However, to keep the computation constant per function call we just do a single iteration using // the previous approximation as a starting point. // This gives good accuracy as the inputs don't change rapidly. It would also be possible to store // the inputs and converge the solution over 3-4 function calls, but this real-time iteration // approach gives better accuracy in tests as well as simpler code. Wz *= -1.0f; // Sink defined positive. float sqrtfk = sqrtf(_polarParams.K); float minSink = (sqrtfk/sqrtf(CLmax)*(_polarParams.CD0 + _polarParams.B*CLmax*CLmax))/CLmax; if (!is_positive(minSink+Wz+Wexp)) { // Special case. If lift is greater than min sink speed, fly at min sink // speed. _CL_estimate = CLmax; return; } float CD0 = _polarParams.CD0; float B = _polarParams.B; float Wxp = Wx/sqrtfk; float WZ = (Wz + Wexp)/sqrtfk; // Guess starting location. float CL = _CL_estimate>0 ? _CL_estimate : 0.5f*(CLmax+CLmin); float t0 = powf(CL,1.5f); float t1 = CD0 + B*CL*CL + t0*WZ; float t2 = 1.5f*sqrtf(CL)*WZ + 2.0f*B*CL; float Jd = (1.5f*sqrtf(CL)*Wxp + 1.0f)/t1 - (t2*(CL + t0*Wxp))/(t1*t1); float Jdd = 2.0f*t2*t2*(CL + t0*Wxp)/powf(t1,3) - (2.0f*t2*(1.5f*sqrtf(CL)*Wxp + 1.0f))/(t1*t1) - ((2.0f*B + 0.75f*WZ/sqrtf(CL))*(CL + t0*Wxp))/(t1*t1) + 0.75f*Wxp/(sqrtf(CL)*t1); // Check we're heading to a maximum, not a minimum!! if (is_positive(Jdd)) { // Alternate mode, go uphill. CL = CL + 0.1 * (Jd>0.0f ? 1.0f : -1.0f); } else { // Newton should work. CL = CL - Jd/Jdd; } _CL_estimate = CL; _CL_estimate = constrain_float(_CL_estimate, CLmin, CLmax); }