Synthesis of optimal bang-bang control for cooperative collision avoidance for aircraft (ships) with unequal linear speeds (Q1934625)

In this paper, for two aircrafts in polar coordinates, the following optimal control problem is considered: \[ \begin{cases} \dot{r}=-\cos\phi+\gamma \cos(\theta-\phi),\\ \dot{\phi}=-u_1(t)+[\sin\phi+\gamma \sin(\theta-\phi)]/r,\\ \dot{\theta}=-u_1(t)+u_2(t), \end{cases} \] \[ r(0)=r_0, \;\phi(0)=\phi_0, \;\theta(0)=\theta_0, \] \[ \gamma \cos[\theta(T)-\phi(T)]-\cos\phi(T)=0, \] \[ r(T)\rightarrow\max, \] where \((u_1(t),u_2(t))\in [-1,1]\times [-1,1]\) is a piecewise-continuous control function and \(T>0\) is a free terminal time. In this paper, necessary optimality conditions are given for an optimal control in the form of the maximum principle and for an optimal terminal time in the form of equality. It is shown that bang-bang controls are not always optimal for participants with unequal linear speeds, and such controls exist near the terminal time. Under certain conditions it is established that bang-bang controls remain optimal and such conditions cover a wide range of practically important situations. Moreover, the synthesis of bang-bang control is constructed, and its optimality is established.