A discrete geometric optimal control framework for systems with symmetries

This paper studies the optimal motion control of mechanical systems through a discrete geometric approach. At the core of our formulation is a discrete Lagrange-d'Alembert- Pontryagin variational principle, from which are derived discrete equations of motion that serve as constraints in our optimization framework. We apply this discrete mechanical approach to holonomic systems with symmetries and, as a result, geometric structure and motion invariants are preserved. We illustrate our method by computing optimal trajectories for a simple model of an air vehicle flying through a digital terrain elevation map, and point out some of the numerical benefits that ensue.