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Open AccessArticle
Safe Autonomous UAV Target-Tracking Under External Disturbance, Through Learned Control Barrier Functions
by
Promit Panja
Promit Panja 1,
Madan Mohan Rayguru
Madan Mohan Rayguru 2,*
and
Sabur Baidya
Sabur Baidya 2,*
1
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksbrug, VA 24061, USA
2
Louisville Automation and Robotics Research Institute (LARRI), University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Robotics 2025, 14(8), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics14080108 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 25 June 2025
/
Revised: 29 July 2025
/
Accepted: 1 August 2025
/
Published: 3 August 2025
Abstract
Ensuring the safe operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is crucial for both mission-critical and safety-critical tasks. In scenarios where UAVs must track airborne targets, they need to follow the target’s path while maintaining a safe distance, even in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and environmental disturbances. This paper presents a novel collision avoidance strategy for dynamic quadrotor UAVs during target-tracking missions. We propose a safety controller that combines a learning-based Control Barrier Function (CBF) with standard sliding mode feedback. Our approach employs a neural network that learns the true CBF constraint, accounting for wind disturbances, while the sliding mode controller addresses unmodeled dynamics. This unified control law ensures safe leader-following behavior and precise trajectory tracking. By leveraging a learned CBF, the controller offers improved adaptability to complex and unpredictable environments, enhancing both the safety and robustness of the system. The effectiveness of our proposed method is demonstrated through the AirSim platform using the PX4 flight controller.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Panja, P.; Rayguru, M.M.; Baidya, S.
Safe Autonomous UAV Target-Tracking Under External Disturbance, Through Learned Control Barrier Functions. Robotics 2025, 14, 108.
https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics14080108
AMA Style
Panja P, Rayguru MM, Baidya S.
Safe Autonomous UAV Target-Tracking Under External Disturbance, Through Learned Control Barrier Functions. Robotics. 2025; 14(8):108.
https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics14080108
Chicago/Turabian Style
Panja, Promit, Madan Mohan Rayguru, and Sabur Baidya.
2025. "Safe Autonomous UAV Target-Tracking Under External Disturbance, Through Learned Control Barrier Functions" Robotics 14, no. 8: 108.
https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics14080108
APA Style
Panja, P., Rayguru, M. M., & Baidya, S.
(2025). Safe Autonomous UAV Target-Tracking Under External Disturbance, Through Learned Control Barrier Functions. Robotics, 14(8), 108.
https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics14080108
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