  This article is a technical report on the two different guidance systems
based on vector fields that can be found in Paparazzi, a free sw/hw autopilot.
Guiding vector fields allow autonomous vehicles to track paths described by the
user mathematically. In particular, we allow two descriptions of the path with
an implicit or a parametric function. Each description is associated with its
corresponding guiding vector field algorithm. The implementations of the two
algorithms are light enough to be run in a modern microcontroller. We will
cover the basic theory on how they work, how a user can implement its own paths
in Paparazzi, how to exploit them to coordinate multiple vehicles, and we
finish with some experimental results. Although the presented implementation is
focused on fixed-wing aircraft, the guidance is also applicable to other kinds
of aerial vehicles such as rotorcraft.

Robotics