Robust control of a laboratory flight simulator by nondynamic multirate output feedback

This paper describes the application of a new nondynamic multirate output feedback control law to a robust tracking problem for an unstable plant. The nonlinear plant is linearized around its nominal operating point and around two possible failure modes. The controller design is carried out in two steps: convex programming methods can be used to find a state feedback gain which meets given specifications in the nominal operating point and under failure conditions. Then this state feedback gain is realized by a multirate output feedback control law. Experimental results show that this output feedback controller maintains the performance achieved by state feedback.