# Autonomous Tracking and Terminal Guidance of Moving Targets for Fixed-Wing UAVs

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.12801 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.12801/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 0 of its 26 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 Jul 2026.

## Abstract (arXiv)

This study introduces a unified control framework for fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) fitted with a pan-tilt (PT) camera, intended to perform an end-to-end mission spanning from initial target detection to accurate terminal engagement. The proposed system employs a three-phase strategy: a vision-based target acquisition phase, an NMPC-based tracking phase, and a terminal guidance phase. During tracking, the framework uses an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) to fuse YOLO-based visual detections with inertial measurements, enabling robust target state estimation under unknown dynamics. To ensure reliable visual contact, we introduce a constraint-aware Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) strategy that incorporates Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) to explicitly prevent UAV self-occlusion -- a common limitation in fixed-wing tracking. Upon satisfying terminal engagement conditions, the system seamlessly transitions control to a quaternion-based Biased Proportional Navigation Guidance (BPNG) law, enforcing precise impact angle constraints. High-fidelity simulations demonstrate that the framework achieves stable, robust tracking and accurate terminal interception while strictly respecting the vehicle's dynamic limits and camera field-of-view constraints.