Aero.trajectory.expandingSquareTrajectory

Generate reference signals for expanding square search trajectory

Since R2026a

Syntax

refSignals = Aero.trajectory.expandingSquareTrajectory(Name=Value)

Description

refSignals = Aero.trajectory.expandingSquareTrajectory(Name=Value) generates reference signals for an expanding square search pattern. Use name-value arguments to define the search pattern. For more information, see Algorithms.

Examples

Generate Reference Signals for Expanding Square Trajectory

This example shows how to generate reference signals for an expanding square trajectory.

refSignals = Aero.trajectory.expandingSquareTrajectory(InitialPosition=[0, 0], ...
Speed=100,InitialHeading=pi/4, ...
DatumPoint = [10, 10], Bearing = pi/2, ...
Altitude= 5000, TrackSpacing=1000, ...
NumberOfLegs= 4, OutputFormat= 'timetable')

refSignals=10×6 timetable
    09-Jan-2026 09:10:01     1              0              0    100       0         0.7854
    09-Jan-2026 09:10:51     2             10             10    100    5000         0.7854
    09-Jan-2026 09:11:01     3        10.0000           1010    100    5000         1.5708
    09-Jan-2026 09:11:11     4      -990.0000     1.0100e+03    100    5000         3.1416
    09-Jan-2026 09:11:31     5      -990.0000      -990.0000    100    5000         4.7124
    09-Jan-2026 09:11:51     6     1.0100e+03      -990.0000    100    5000    -1.1369e-16
    09-Jan-2026 09:12:21     7     1.0100e+03           2010    100    5000         1.5708
    09-Jan-2026 09:12:51     8    -1.9900e+03     2.0100e+03    100    5000         3.1416
    09-Jan-2026 09:13:31     9    -1.9900e+03    -1.9900e+03    100    5000         4.7124
    09-Jan-2026 09:14:11    10     2.0100e+03    -1.9900e+03    100    5000    -1.1369e-16

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

10 (default) | finite real double scalar

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

Example: Speed = 10

Data Types: double

Altitude — Altitude of trajectory

100 (default) | 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 timeseries or timetable.

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)'

Data Types: double

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

0 (default) | 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

NumberOfLegs — Number of legs

5 (default) | scalar | nonnegative integer.

Number of legs in the expanding square, specified as a nonnegative integer.

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

TrackSpacing — Spacing between tracks

3 (default) | scalar

Spacing between tracks, specified as a scalar.

Example: TrackSpacing = 10

Data Types: double

Search direction — Search direction

Clockwise (default) | Counterclockwise

Search direction, specified as Counterclockwise or Clockwise.

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.expandingSquareTrajectory to define the parameters of an expanding square search trajectory:

where S is specified by TrackSpacing.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a