Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory

R2026b

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 = 10×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            1               0          0          90             0                 0              1.5708       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49       1.7143               0          0          90            20            3.1416                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            2              -8          0          90            20            1.5708                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            3              -8          5          90            20            5.7596                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            4         -3.6699        2.5          90            20            3.6652                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            5          -12.33       -2.5          90            20            1.5708                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:49            6          -12.33        2.5          90            20            5.7596                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:50            7         -3.6699       -2.5          90            20            3.6652                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:50            8              -8         -5          90            20            1.5708                   0       
    06-Aug-2026 23:26:50            9              -8          0          90            20            1.5708                   0       

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 = 3×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Jul-2026 10:56:08          1                 0           0        100              0           3.6803               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:57:02          2           -1757.8     -1050.7        100           5000           0.7854               0.01        
    06-Jul-2026 10:57:42          3            1070.7      1777.8        100           5000           0.7854               0.01        

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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 = 11×7 timetable
         timestamps         WaypointIndex    xNorth(m)    yEast(m)    Speed(m/s)    Altitude(m)    Heading(rad)    FlightPathAngle(rad)
    ____________________    _____________    _________    ________    __________    ___________    ____________    ____________________

    06-Jul-2026 10:56:08          1                 0           0        100              0           3.6803                 0.01      
    06-Jul-2026 10:57:02          2           -1757.8     -1050.7        100           5000           0.7854                 0.01      
    06-Jul-2026 10:57:46          3            1070.7      1777.8         90           5000            4.167            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:46          4                -8           0         90             20           1.5708            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:46          5                -8           5         90             20           5.7596            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:46          6           -3.6699         2.5         90             20           3.6652            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:46          7            -12.33        -2.5         90             20           1.5708            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:46          8            -12.33         2.5         90             20           5.7596            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:47          9           -3.6699        -2.5         90             20           3.6652            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:47         10                -8          -5         90             20           1.5708            -0.011111      
    06-Jul-2026 10:58:47         11                -8           0         90             20           1.5708            -0.011111      

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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

90 (default) | finite real double scalar

Speed of trajectory, specified as a finite real double scalar in the units specified in Units.

Example: Speed = 90

Data Types: double

Altitude — Altitude of trajectory

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 a timeseries or timetable object.

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)'

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

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

SearchDirection — Search direction

Counterclockwise (default) | Clockwise

Search direction, specified as Counterclockwise or Clockwise.

ClimbRate — Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent

1 (default) | finite real double scalar less than vehicle speed

Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent, specified as a finite real double scalar less than the vehicle speed in the units specified in Units.

Example: ClimbRate = 10

Data Types: double

DescentRate — Vertical speed at which vehicle loses altitude

1 (default) | finite real double scalar

Vertical velocity component of vehicle during ascent, specified as a finite real double scalar less than the vehicle speed in the units specified in Units.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

NFZBoundaryPoints — Coordinates that define vertices of polygonal no-fly zone

[ ] (default) | N-by-2 numeric array

Coordinates that define vertices of polygonal no-fly zone, specified as a N-by-2 numeric array, where N is equal to or greater than 3. Each row of the array contains an [x, y] boundary point. The function computes a closed polygon from the supplied points and uses it to detect and avoid restricted airspace.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

NFZAltitudeBound — Maximum altitude of the no-fly zone

0 (default) | scalar numeric

Maximum altitude of the no-fly zone, specified as a scalar numeric. You use this value with the NFZ boundary to determine whether obstacle avoidance is required. If the aircraft altitude is above the specified no-fly-zone altitude bound, the aircraft is permitted to pass through the NFZ without rerouting.

Example: DescentRate = 10

Data Types: double

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

R2026b: No-Fly Zones and Flight Paths

To specify no-fly zones for trajectories, the Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory function accepts NFZBoundaryPoints and NFZAltitudeBound arguments. These arguments let you specify areas that vehicles must circumnavigate during trajectory planning.

To compute flight-path angles, the Aero.trajectory.sectorTrajectory function accepts ClimbRate and DescentRate. Outputs now also report flight paths.