Free-Space Optical Communication-Driven NMPC Framework for Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles in Structured Inspection Scenarios

Abstract

This paper introduces a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) framework for communication-aware motion planning of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs) using Free-Space Optical (FSO) links. The scenario involves MRAVs equipped with body-fixed optical transmitters and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) acting as mobile relays, each outfitted with fixed conical Field-of-View (FoV) receivers. The controller integrates optical connectivity constraints into the NMPC formulation to ensure beam alignment and minimum link quality, while also enabling UGV tracking and obstacle avoidance. The method supports both coplanar and tilted MRAV configurations. MATLAB simulations demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness.

Accepted for presentation to the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), Vienna, Austria

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