Range Maximization of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Powered Mini Air Vehicle Using Stochastic Drift Counteraction Optimal Control

This paper considers a range maximization problem for a direct methanol fuel cell powered and battery powered Mini Air Vehicle (MAV) operating in an uncertain environment. The control policy is developed to prescribe the power split between the fuel cell and the battery. This problem fits naturally into the Stochastic Drift Counteraction Optimal Control (SDCOC) framework. The approach accounts for the statistics of MAV velocity and climb angle transitions but does not require their exact a priori knowledge. The control policy is generated based on the hybrid powerplant model that accounts for the dependence of fuel cell efficiency on the orientation.