Conflict-free trajectory planning based on the model predictive control theory

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a model-based control method based on a receding horizon approach and online optimization. A key advantage of MPC is that it can accommodate constraints on the inputs and outputs. This paper proposes a max-plus general modeling framework adapted to the robust optimal control of air traffic flow in the airspace. It is shown that the problem can be posed as the control of queues with safety separation-dependent service rate. We extend MPC to a class of discrete-event system that can be described by models that are linear in the max-plus algebra with noise or modeling errors. Regarding the single aircraft as a batch, the relationships between input variables, state variables and output variable are established. We discuss some key properties of the system model and indicate how these properties can be used to analyze the behavior of air traffic flow. The model predictive control design problems are defined for this type of discrete event system to help prepare the airspace for various robust regulation needs and we give some extensions of the air traffic max-plus linear systems.