Airborne systems
Flight control work where modelling, estimation, and guidance are inseparable
These programmes are not just another controls tuning exercise. The hard part is usually the coupling between wing physics, limited sensing, autonomy logic, and real operational constraints.
This is where the combination matters: advanced control engineering, state estimation, optimisation, and real flight intuition from parafoil and paraglider systems. The goal is not elegant theory in isolation. The goal is a controllable, testable, safety-aware airborne system.
Flight Experience
Control Challenges
- Highly nonlinear and flexible wing dynamics — far more complex than rigid-body aircraft
- Unstable flight modes requiring active stabilization under turbulence and wind shear
- Limited onboard sensing: no rigid IMU mounting, GPS dropout, unreliable airspeed
- Safety-critical constraints: stall margins, tether tension limits, and structural load factors that must never be violated across the full flight envelope
Focus Areas
Airborne Wind Energy (AWE)
Kite and paraglider-based AWE systems harvest wind at altitudes (200–600 m) inaccessible to conventional turbines. I design trajectory controllers that execute autonomous pumping cycles or continuous crosswind figure-8 patterns, maximizing energy yield while respecting tether tension limits, structural load constraints, and return-to-ground sequences.
Paraglider State Estimation & Flight Control
Designing complete closed-loop flight control systems for paragliders: stability analysis of the nonlinear coupled wing-pilot system, synthesis of stability augmentation controllers, and autonomous trajectory tracking. The work covers the full chain — from sensor fusion and state observer design through to onboard controller deployment — informed by 1,000+ hours of hands-on paraglider flight.
Aerial Autonomy Remote Diagnostic
A fixed-scope review of flight dynamics, sensing, guidance, control architecture, and available test or simulation data. Five working days over 1–2 weeks, fully remote, €4,500 fixed.
Includes a 1-page executive summary, detailed technical report, optional analysis scripts and raw figures, and a 60-minute Q&A call.
Continue implementation or technical leadership through an Advisory Retainer from €4,500/month when useful.
Selected publications
Optimization of 3-D flight trajectory of variable trim kites for airborne wind energy production
Noga et al., 2024 — airborne wind energy and SkySails-adjacent trajectory optimization.
Non-linear moving horizon state estimation and control for the LHC cryogenic circuit
Noga et al., 2014 — NMPC and state estimation under hard constraints.
Paragliding XC data analysis
Applied analysis of real-world paraglider flights and operational data.
Open flight-data work
Two public data projects from free flight, built on real flight tracks with the same modelling and data-analysis methods I use in engineering work.
Paragliding
Paragliding XC analysis
Cross-country analysis of real flight tracks: site usage, seasonal patterns and flight performance per takeoff.
Paramotoring
Paramotoring takeoff map
World map of paramotor takeoffs with pilot traffic and seasonal patterns.
Technical Approach
Nonlinear Flight Dynamics Modeling
Physics-based models for flexible-wing systems — capturing spanwise load distribution, canopy twist, and aerodynamic coupling to give the MPC an accurate prediction model.
Trajectory Optimization
Time- and energy-optimal path planning for autonomous soaring, crosswind energy extraction, and return-to-home manoeuvres, including ground-station tether management for AWE systems.
State Estimation & Observer Design
Reconstruct angle of attack, sideslip, canopy load distribution, and apparent wind by fusing accelerometer, GPS, barometric, and line-tension data through Kalman filter and nonlinear observer designs. The estimated state feeds directly into the flight control loop.
Embedded Real-Time Controllers
Deploy solvers on microcontrollers and embedded flight computers meeting hard real-time budgets required for active flight control and autonomous landing.
Practical Model Development
Models as simple as possible — geometry and basic physics for linear feedback design, a minimal nonlinear extension only when simulation validation requires it. Rarely is more complexity justified.
Read the full modelling approach →Relevant Design Patterns
Book a 30-min technical fit call
I combine deep control engineering expertise with first-hand understanding of paraglider and kite flight dynamics. A 30-minute call is enough to assess your project's feasibility.
Book a 30-min technical fit call →