ArduSoar: An Open-Source Thermalling Controller for Resource-Constrained Autopilots

Samuel Tabor, Iain Guilliard, Andrey Kolobov

Abstract: Autonomous soaring capability has the potential to significantly increase time aloft for fixed-wing UAVs. In this paper, we introduce ArduSoar, the first soaring controller integrated into a major autopilot software suite for small UAVs. We describe ArduSoar from the algorithmic standpoint, outline its integration with the ArduPlane autopilot, discuss parameter tuning for it, and conduct a series of flight tests on real sUAVs that show ArduSoar's robustness even in highly nonideal atmospheric conditions.