Multi-Timescale Nonlinear Robust Control for a Miniature Helicopter

    Authors

    Y. J. Xu

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    IEEE Trans. Aerosp. Electron. Syst.

    Keywords

    SLIDING-MODE CONTROL; FLIGHT; INVERSION; FEEDBACK; SYSTEMS; DESIGN; Engineering, Aerospace; Engineering, Electrical & Electronic; Telecommunications

    Abstract

    A new nonlinear control approach, which is applied to a miniature aerobatic helicopter through a multi-timescale structure, is proposed. Because of the highly nonlinear, unstable, and underactuated nature of a miniature helicopter, it is a challenge to design an autonomous flight control system that is capable of operating in the full flight envelope. To deal with unstable internal dynamics, the translational, rotational, and flapping dynamics of the helicopter (eleven degrees of freedom) are organized into a three-timescale, nonlinear model. The concepts of dynamic inversion and sliding manifold are combined together such that 1) the controller proposed is robust with respect to functional and parametric uncertainties, and 2) the settling time in faster modes is guaranteed to be less than the fixed step size of slower modes. A time-varying feedback gain, derived according to global stability and sliding manifold variations, is proved to be uniquely solvable based on the Perron-Frobenius Theorem. Partial uncertainties are explicitly taken into account in the nonlinear robust control design, and Monte Carlo simulations are used for validations under other sensor noises, model uncertainties, and a Federal Aviation Administration suggested gust condition.

    Journal Title

    Ieee Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems

    Volume

    46

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    656

    Last Page

    671

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000277499800012

    ISSN

    0018-9251

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