Development of an Analytical Parameterized Linear Lateral Dynamic Model for an Aerobot Airship

Saturn’s moon Titan is of high interest for in situ study due to its many intriguing features. This moon has a dense atmosphere; rough, icy terrain; and low surface winds that make it the ideal place to send a controlled aerial robotic platform, such as a conceptual Aerobot Airship. An important feature of a self-propelled, lighter-than-air aerial vehicle is that it must be autonomously controlled to navigate and avoid obstacles because of a 2.6-hour communication delay between the Earth and Titan. Developing a dynamic model that can be tuned will enable robust and reliable control of the Aerobot Airship.