Study of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Control and Missile Guidance During Complex Air Operations

doi: 10.32567/hm.2026.2.10

Abstract

The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used more and more widely in both the military and civilian sectors. The Russian-Ukrainian war has demonstrated the value of these systems, particularly in missile-carrying attacks, and they will play an indispensable key role in future wars as a specialized combat method. The authors summarize the C2 (command and control) procedures for missile-based attack operations, present traditional design solutions for command and control systems, and then analyze the command and control methods for typical swarm attacks while considering relevant characteristics, and discuss the limitations of traditional design methods. The article focuses on the advantages of intelligent integrated guidance and control design over traditional design concepts. It summarizes commonly used integrated guidance and control design methods and their applications, and explores a cooperative attack strategy for missile carriers suitable for an integrated guidance and control system. It examines the challenges of missile guidance and control and identifies issues worthy of further research in the future. The summary of missile guidance and control methods contributes to innovative research in this field, which promotes the development of drone swarm attack technology.

Keywords:

drone swarms missile guidance air operations

How to Cite

Papp, I., Békési, B., & Károly, K. (2026). Study of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Control and Missile Guidance During Complex Air Operations. Military Engineer, 21(2), 149–171. https://doi.org/10.32567/hm.2026.2.10

References

MALIK, Zishan et al. (2021): Cooperative Guidance Scheme for Flight of Multiple Combat Uavs Against a Non-Accelerating Moving Target. Proceedings of the 2021 International Bhurban Conference On Applied Sciences And Technologies (IBCAST). Islamabad. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/ibcast51254.2021.9393309

SHIN, Heemin (2018): An Autonomous Aerial Combat Framework for Two-On-Two Engagements Based on Basic Fighter Maneuvers. Aerospace Science and Technology, 72, 305–315. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2017.11.014

HANQIAO, Huang et al. (2022): Intelligent Guidance and Control Methods for Missile Swarm. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, Wiley Online Library. Online: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8235148

ZHANG, Qirui – WEI, Ruixuan (2019): Ground Attack Strategy of Cooperative UAVs for Multitargets. Complexity, 9428087. Online: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9428087

DANIAL, Syed Nasir et al. (2019): Situation Awareness Modeling for Emergency Management on Offshore Platforms. Human-centric Computing and Inswarm Sciences, 9(37), 1–26. Online: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13673-019-0199-0

NOBAHARI, Hadi – NASROLLAHI, Saeed (2020): A Nonlinear Robust Model Predictive Differential Game Guidance Algorithm Based on the Particle Swarm Optimization. Journal of the Franklin Institute, 357(15), 11042–11071. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfranklin.2020.08.032

ZHOU, Kai et al. (2020): An Air Combat Decision Learning System Based on a Brain-Like Cognitive Mechanism. Cognitive Computation, 12(4), 128–139. Online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12559-019-09683-7

KUCHAR, James K. – YANG, Lee C. (2000): A Review of Conflict Detection and Resolution Modeling Methods. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1(4), 179–189. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/6979.898217

YU, Wenwu et al. (2013): Distributed Control Gains Design for Consensus in Multi-Agent Systems with Second-Order Nonlinear Dynamics. Automatica, 49(7), 2107–2115. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.automatica.2013.03.005

ZHU, Weiren – DUAN, Haibin (2013): Chaotic Predator-Prey Biogeography-Based Optimization Approach for UAV Path Planning. Aerospace Science and Technology, 32(1), 153–161. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AST.2013.11.003

LEVY, Maital – SHIMA, Tal – GUTMAN, Shaul (2013): Linear Quadratic Integrated versus Separated Autopilot-Guidance Design. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 36(6), 1722–1730. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/1.61363

YUEH, William R. – LIN, Ching F. (1984): Optimal Controller for Homing Missile. Proceedings of the American Control Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, 737–742. Online: https://doi.org/10.23919/ACC.1984.4788473

YANG, Biao et al. (2013): Self-Adaptive PID Controller of Microwave Drying Rotary Device Tuning On-Line by Genetic Algorithms. Journal of Central South University, 20, 2685–2692. Online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-013-1784-4

ZHANG, Yu – CHEN, Jing – SHEN, Lincheng (2013): Real-Time Trajectory Planning for UAV Air-To-Surface Attack Using Inverse Dynamics Optimization Method and Receding Horizon Control. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 26(4), 1038–1056. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2013.04.040

GU, Wenjin – ZHAO, Hongchao – ZHANG, Ruchuan (2008): A Three-Dimensional Proportional Guidance Law Based on RBF Neural Network. Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Intelligent Control And Automation, Chongqing, China, 6978–6982. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/wcica.2008.4593997

MORGAN, Robert Wes – THARP, Hal – VINCENT, Thomas L. (2011): Minimum Energy Guidance for Aerodynamically Controlled Missiles. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 56(9), 2026–2037. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/tac.2011.2108619

ZHANYUAN, JIANG et al. (2021): A Modified Proportional Navigation Guidance Law for Impact Time Control. Proceedings of the 2021 6th International Conference on Automation, Control and Robotics Engineering (CACRE), Dalian, China. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/cacre52464.2021.9501293

LI, Rui – MA, Hongzhong (2020): Research on UAV Swarm Cooperative Reconnaissance and Combat Technology. Proceedings of the 2020 3rd International Conference on Unmanned Systems (ICUS), Harbin, China, 996–999. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/icus50048.2020.9274902

HOU, Mingzhe – LIANG, Xiaoling – DUAN, Guangren (2013): Adaptive Block Dynamic Surface Control for Integrated Missile Guidance and Autopilot. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 26(3), 741–750. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2013.04.035

FU, Zhenhua et al. (2020): Integrated Guidance and Control with Input Saturation and Impact Angle Constraint. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 5917983. Online: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5917983

WILLIAMS, Douglas – RICHMAN, Jack – FRIEDLAND, Bernard (1983): Design of an Integrated Strapdown Guidance and Control System for a Tactical Missile. Proceedings of Guidance and Control Conference, Gatlinburg, TN, USA, 57–66. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1983-2169

LIN, Ching Fang et al. (1998): Optimal Design of Integrated Missile Guidance and Control. Proceedings of the World Aviation Conference, 1–13. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1998-5519

MENON, P. – OHLMEYER, Ernest J. (2001): Nonlinear Integrated Guidance-Control Laws for Homing Missiles. Proceedings of the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference and Exhibit, Montreal, Canada, 1–9. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2001-4160

ZHAO, Jinlong – ZHOU, Jun (2016): Receding Horizon Integrated Guidance and Control for Interceptors Based on Gauss Pseudospectral Method. Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE Chinese Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, Nanjing, China, 1270–1275. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/CGNCC.2016.7828971

SHARMA, Manu – RICHARDS, Nathan (2004): Adaptive Integrated Guidance and Control for Missile Interceptors. Proceedings of AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Rhode Island, 1–15. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2004-4880

SHIMA, Tal – IDAN, Moshe – GOLAN, Oded M. (2006): Sliding-Mode Control for Integrated Missile Autopilot-Guidance. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 29(2), 250–260. Online: https://doi.org/10.2514/1.14951

HUO, Ran et al. (2017): Integrated Guidance and Control Based On High-Order Sliding Mode Method. Proceedings Of the 36th Chinese Control Conference, Dalian, China, 6073–6078. Online: https://doi.org/10.23919/chicc.2017.8028323

HONG, Toan Dinh et al. (2017): Active Disturbance Rejection Control Design for Integrated Guidance and Control Missile Based SMC and Extended State Observer. Proceedings of the 2017 International Conference on System Science and Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 476–481. Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSSE.2017.8030920

JIAN, Chen et al. (2016): Integrated Guidance and Control Design Based on a Reference Model. International Journal of Control, Automation and Systems, 14(5), 1299–1308. Online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12555-015-0048-5

ZHU, Guodong – SHEN, Zuojun (2015): Three Dimensional Trajectory Linearization Control for Flight of Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle. Procedia Engineering, 99, 1108–1119. Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.12.646

ZHOU, Huan et al. (2015): Robust Integrated Guidance and Control Design Method for UAV Based on Trajectory Linearization Control. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems, Busan, Korea (South). Online: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCAS.2015.7364797

ZHANG, Xue et al. (2020): Nonlinear Distributed Model Predictive Control for Multiple Missiles Against Maneuvering Target with a Trajectory Predictor. Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 25, 779–789. Online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12204-020-2233-9