Observability Conditions and Sensing Quality for Unicycle Systems with Constant External Forcing

Abstract: In certain systems which are subject to significant constant external forcing such as an airplane in wind or an underwater glider in ocean currents, the ability to detect the forcing depends on both the measurements available and whether appropriate control is being applied. Using analytical nonlinear observability techniques, we define the necessary characteristics required of a measurement function for systems with unicycle dynamics subject to constant forcing to be observable. We further consider the necessary associated motion characteristics required of this class of systems to enable the desired sensing capabilities. We then apply these results in combination with the empirical Gramian to quantify relative observability, optimal sensor selection, and sensing quality for different motion primitive modes for a Dubins path.