Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory

Generate reference signals for sector search trajectory

Since R2026a

Syntax

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

Description

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

Examples

Generate Reference Signals for Sector Trajectory

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

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

refSector=9×6 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________

    26-Feb-2026 14:57:53          1                 0          0          90             0            3.1416   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          2                -8          0          90            20            1.5708   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          3                -8          5          90            20            5.7596   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          4           -3.6699        2.5          90            20            3.6652   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          5            -12.33       -2.5          90            20            1.5708   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          6            -12.33        2.5          90            20            5.7596   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          7           -3.6699       -2.5          90            20            3.6652   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          8                -8         -5          90            20            1.5708   
    26-Feb-2026 14:57:54          9                -8          0          90            20            1.5708   

Add Reference Signals for Sector Search Trajectory to Another Trajectory

This example shows how to add reference signals for a sector search flight trajectory, sectorSignals, to existing reference signals for another trajectory, parallelSweepSignals.

Create reference signals for a parallel sweep trajectory.

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

parallelSweepSignals=3×6 timetable
    09-Jan-2026 09:13:54    1              0              0    100       0         0
    09-Jan-2026 09:14:48    2    -1.7578e+03    -1.0507e+03    100    5000    3.6803
    09-Jan-2026 09:15:28    3     1.0707e+03     1.7778e+03    100    5000    0.7854

Add reference signals for a sector search flight trajectory, sectorSignals, to parallelSweepSignals.

sectorSignals = Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory(priorTrajectory = parallelSweepSignals, ...
Altitude = 20,Bearing = pi/2,DatumPoint = [-8, 0], ...
Radius = 5)

sectorSignals=11×6 timetable
    09-Jan-2026 09:13:54     1              0              0    100       0         0
    09-Jan-2026 09:14:48     2    -1.7578e+03    -1.0507e+03    100    5000    3.6803
    09-Jan-2026 09:15:28     3     1.0707e+03     1.7778e+03    100    5000    0.7854
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     4             -8              0     90      20    4.1670
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     5             -8              5     90      20    1.5708
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     6        -3.6699         2.5000     90      20    5.7596
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     7       -12.3301        -2.5000     90      20    3.6652
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     8       -12.3301         2.5000     90      20    1.5708
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28     9        -3.6699        -2.5000     90      20    5.7596
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:28    10        -8.0000             -5     90      20    3.6652
    09-Jan-2026 09:16:29    11             -8              0     90      20    1.5708

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

10 (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

100 (default) | 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 timeseries or timetable.

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)'

Data Types: double

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

0 (default) | 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

DatumPoint — Datum point

1-by-2 vector | 2-by-1 vector | finite real double

Datum point is a positional coordinate, specified as a 1-by-2 or 2-by-1 vector in the range finite real double, in the units specified in Units.

Example: DatumPoint = [10, 10]

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

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

Radius — Radius of trajectory

5 | positive scalar

Radius of trajectory, specified as a positive scalar.

Example: Radius = 10

Data Types: double

Search direction — Search direction

Counterclockwise (default) | Clockwise

Search direction, specified as Counterclockwise or Clockwise.

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.sectorTrajectory to define the parameters of a sector trajectory.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a