Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory

R2026b

Generate reference signals for creeping line search trajectory

Since R2026a

Syntax

refSignals = Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory(Name=Value)

Description

refSignals = Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory(Name=Value) generates trajectory reference signals for a creeping line search pattern. Use name-value arguments to define the search pattern. For more information, see Algorithms.

Examples

Generate Reference Signals for Creeping Trajectory

This example shows how to generate reference signals for a creeping trajectory.

refCreepingTraj = Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory(InitialPosition = [0, 0], ...
Speed = 100,DatumPoint = [10, 10],FieldLength = 5000, ...
FieldWidth = 2000,TrackSpacing = 1000,Bearing = pi/4, ...
Altitude = 5000,OutputFormat = 'timetable',Mode = 'Independent')

refCreepingTraj = 9×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Jul-2026 10:38:37          1                 0           0        100              0           3.6803               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:39:31          2           -1757.8     -1050.7        100           5000           5.4978               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:39:41          3           -1050.7     -1757.8        100           5000           0.7854               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:39:51          4           -343.55     -1050.7        100           5000           2.3562               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:40:01          5           -1050.7     -343.55        100           5000           0.7854               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:40:11          6           -343.55      363.55        100           5000           5.4978               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:40:21          7            363.55     -343.55        100           5000           0.7854               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:40:31          8            1070.7      363.55        100           5000           2.3562               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:40:41          9            363.55      1070.7        100           5000           2.3562               0.01        

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Add Reference Signals for Creeping Trajectory to Another Trajectory

This example shows how to add reference signals for a creeping line trajectory, creepingSignals, to existing reference signals for another trajectory, sectorSignals.

Create reference signals for a sector trajectory.

sectorSignals = Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory(Altitude = 20, ...
Bearing = pi/2,DatumPoint = [-8,0], ...
InitialAltitude = 0,Radius = 5, ...
OutputFormat = 'timetable',InitialHeading = 0)

sectorSignals = 9×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          1                 0          0          90             0            3.1416             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          2                -8          0          90            20            1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          3                -8          5          90            20            5.7596             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          4           -3.6699        2.5          90            20            3.6652             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          5            -12.33       -2.5          90            20            1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          6            -12.33        2.5          90            20            5.7596             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          7           -3.6699       -2.5          90            20            3.6652             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          8                -8         -5          90            20            1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          9                -8          0          90            20            1.5708             0.011111      

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Add reference signals for a creeping line trajectory, creepingSignals, to sectorSignals.

creepingSignals = Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory(PriorTrajectory = sectorSignals, ...
DatumPoint = [10, 10],FieldLength = 5000, ...
FieldWidth = 2000,TrackSpacing = 1000,Bearing = pi/4, ...
Altitude = 5000,Mode ='Independent')

creepingSignals = 17×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          1                 0           0         90              0           3.1416             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          2                -8           0         90             20           1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          3                -8           5         90             20           5.7596             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          4           -3.6699         2.5         90             20           3.6652             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          5            -12.33        -2.5         90             20           1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:22          6            -12.33         2.5         90             20           5.7596             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          7           -3.6699        -2.5         90             20           3.6652             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          8                -8          -5         90             20           1.5708             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:41:23          9                -8           0         90             20           3.6823             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:42:23         10           -1757.8     -1050.7         90           5000           5.4978             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:42:34         11           -1050.7     -1757.8         90           5000           0.7854             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:42:45         12           -343.55     -1050.7         90           5000           2.3562             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:42:56         13           -1050.7     -343.55         90           5000           0.7854             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:43:07         14           -343.55      363.55         90           5000           5.4978             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:43:18         15            363.55     -343.55         90           5000           0.7854             0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:43:29         16            1070.7      363.55         90           5000           2.3562             0.011111      

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      ⋮

Name-Value Arguments

Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Example: InitialPosition = [0,0]

InitialPosition — Initial position

[0,0] (default) | 1-by-2 vector | 2-by-1 vector

Initial position of trajectory, specified as a 1-by-2 or 2-by-1 vector in the units specified in Units.

Example: InitialPosition = [0,0]

Data Types: double

Speed — Speed of trajectory

90 (default) | finite real double scalar

Speed of trajectory, specified as a finite real double scalar in the units specified in Units.

Example: Speed = 10

Data Types: double

Altitude — Altitude of trajectory

finite real scalar double

Altitude of the vehicle trajectory, specified as a finite real scalar double in the units specified in Units. This value is constant throughout the vehicle path.

Example: Altitude = 10

Data Types: double

InitialHeading — Initial heading of trajectory

0 (default) | finite real double scalar between 0 and 2*pi

Initial heading of trajectory, specified as a finite real double scalar between 0 and 2*pi, in radians. Specify one each of InitialHeading and FinalHeading.

Example: InitialHeading = pi

Data Types: double

OutputFormat — Output format

timeseries object (default) | timetable object

Output format of reference signals data, specified as a timeseries or timetable object.

Example: OutputFormat = timeseries

Units — Input and output units

Metric (MKS) (default) | English (Velocity in ft/s) | English (Velocity in kts)

Input and output units, specified as one of these values.

Units	Position	Altitude	Speed
Metric (MKS)	Meters	Meters	Meters per second
English (Velocity in ft/s)	Feet	Feet	Feet per second
English (Velocity in kts)	Nautical miles	Feet	Knots

Example: Units = 'Metric (MKS)'

StartTime — Initial time of trajectory operation

datetime('now') (default) | datetime object

Initial time of trajectory operation, specified as a datetime object.

Example: StartTime = datetime('now')

Bearing — Bearing

finite real scalar double between 0 and 2*pi

Bearing, specified as a finite real scalar double between 0 and 2*pi.

Example: Bearing = pi/4

Data Types: double

Field center — Field center

[50 0] (default) | 1-by-2 vector | 2-by-1 vector

Field center, specified as a 1-by-2 or 2-by-1 vector of finite real doubles in the units specified in Units.

Data Types: double

FieldLength — Field length

scalar

Field length, specified as a scalar.

Example: FieldLength = 12

Data Types: double

FieldWidth — Field width

positive scalar

Field width, specified as a positive scalar in the units specified in Units.

Example: FieldWidth = 12

Data Types: double

InitialAltitude — Initial altitude of trajectory

0 (default) | scalar

Initial altitude of trajectory, specified as a scalar in the units specified in Units.

Example: InitialAltitude = 10

Data Types: double

Mode — Vehicle coordination mode

Independent | 1 to 1 coordination | 1 to 2 coordination | 1 to 3 coordination

Vehicle coordination mode, specified as Independent, 1 to 1 coordination, 1 to 2 coordination, or 1 to 3 coordination.

Example: Mode = '1 to 1 coordination'

PriorTrajectory — Prior trajectory tracking data

timeseries object | timetable object

Prior trajectory tracking data, specified as a timeseries or timetable object. These objects must contain these fields:

• Altitude

• Heading

• Speed

• WaypointIndex

• xNorth

• yEast

• LateralAcceleraion/Turnrate

TrackSpacing — Spacing between tracks

1 (default) | scalar

Spacing between tracks, specified as a scalar.

Example: TrackSpacing = 10

Data Types: double

ClimbRate — Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent

1 (default) | finite real double scalar less than vehicle speed

Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent, specified as a finite real double scalar less than the vehicle speed in the units specified in Units.

Example: ClimbRate = 10

Data Types: double

DescentRate — Vertical speed at which vehicle loses altitude

1 (default) | finite real double scalar

Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent, specified as a finite real double scalar less than the vehicle speed in the units specified in Units.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

NFZBoundaryPoints — Coordinates that define vertices of polygonal no-fly zone

[ ] (default) | N-by-2 numeric array

Coordinates that define vertices of polygonal no-fly zone, specified as a N-by-2 numeric array, where N is equal to or greater than 3. Each row of the array contains an [x, y] boundary point. The function computes a closed polygon from the supplied points and uses it to detect and avoid restricted airspace.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

NFZAltitudeBound — Maximum altitude of the no-fly zone

0 (default) | scalar numeric

Maximum altitude of the no-fly zone, specified as a scalar numeric. You use this value with the NFZ boundary to determine whether obstacle avoidance is required. If the aircraft altitude is above the specified no-fly-zone altitude bound, the aircraft is permitted to pass through the NFZ without rerouting.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

Output Arguments

refSignals — Trajectory reference signals

timeseries struct | timetable object

Trajectory reference signals, returned as a timeseries struct or timetable object.

Algorithms

Use Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory to define these parameters of a creeping trajectory, where S is specified by TrackSpacing.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a

R2026b: No-Fly Zones and Flight Paths

To specify no-fly zones for trajectories, the Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory function accepts NFZBoundaryPoints and NFZAltitudeBound arguments. These arguments let you specify areas that vehicles must circumnavigate during trajectory planning.

To compute flight-path angles, the Aero.trajectory.creepingTrajectory function accepts ClimbRate and DescentRate. Outputs now also report flight paths.