Title: Waypoint tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles using robust H₂ / H_? controller

Authors: A. Baudkoobeh; M. Farrokhi

Addresses: Department of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 16846, Iran. ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 16846, Iran

Abstract: This paper investigates the use of H₂ / H_? robust controller in tracking trajectories for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). First, it is assumed that the desired trajectory is available by solving the trajectory optimisation problem, which incorporates the mission constraints and the dynamic model of the UAV. Next, a controller is designed using the H₂ / H_? robust control method to track the reference trajectory online while preserving the mission constraints. The control design process involves two steps: a convenient system identification and systematic robust controller design. Simulation results show effectiveness of the proposed controller in comparison with the optimal preview controller, which has gained more popularity recently in navigation of UAVs to track a reference path, despite wind disturbances and measurement noises.

Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicles; UVAs; trajectory tracking; robust control; controller design; vertical waypoint tracking; mission constraints; dynamic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCC.2011.043760

International Journal of Systems, Control and Communications, 2011 Vol.3 No.4, pp.357 - 376

Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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