Topic outline

  • Assignment 1 - Optimal flight with a glider

    About the assignment

    The overall goal of the assignment is to learn the modelling of a dynamic system as well as simulate and optimize the behavior of the dynamic system using the model constructed. In the assignment, the dynamic system under consideration is a glider. The goal is to find the optimal controls of the glider that lead to the maximization of flight distance in windless and thermal conditions. The dynamic optimization problem is solved numerically by converting it into a nonlinear optimization problem that is solved with Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP). Matlab and its Optimization Toolbox are used in the assignment. The assignment can be completed with any Matlab which has the Optimization Toolbox installed. All Aalto's computers in public use should fulfill these requirements. You can also download Matlab for your own computer, instructions can be found here.

    The deadline for the assignment is Friday 23.10.2020 at 18:00.

    Reception in Zoom

    The course assistant has an online reception via Zoom every Wednesday at 14:15 starting on 16.9.2020. The link for the session can be found at the bottom of this page. The assistant will help you on any problems and/or question you encounter regarding the assignment or the usage of Matlab. The assistant will help each pair (or person) individually, and consequently, the Waiting Room feature of Zoom is enabled. The assistant will pick one pair (or person) at a time from the Waiting Room in the order of arrival, and everyone present in the session will be helped. If no one arrives to the Zoom session in the first 30 minutes, the assistant may leave the session.

    If you can't attend the weekly reception and need help, contact the assistant via e-mail.

    Instructions, MATLAB-files, and supplementary material

    The assignment instructions are available in both English and Finnish. The MATLAB-files needed to complete the assignment are also located on this page. There is also a package of supplementary material available.

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Assignment 2 - Control of a thermal power plant