Minimum-time strong optimality of a singular arc: the multi-input non involutive case

Abstract

We consider the minimum-time problem for a multi-input control-affine system, where we assume that the controlled vector fields generate a non-involutive distribution of constant dimension, and where we do not assume a-priori bounds for the controls. We use Hamiltonian methods to prove that the coercivity of a suitable second variation associated to a Pontryagin singular arc is sufficient to prove its strong-local optimality. We provide an application of the result to a generalization of Dubins problem.