Hybrid Fuzzy-PID-based Control of a Twin Rotor MIMO System

This paper presents the development of a hybrid fuzzy-PID-based control approach for an experimental aerodynamic test rig-a twin rotor multi-input-multi-output system (TRMS). The control objective is to make the beam of the TRMS move quickly and accurately to the desired positions, i.e., the pitch and the yaw angles. Developing controller for this type of system is challenging due to the coupling effects between two axes and also due to its highly nonlinear characteristics. In this investigation accurate dynamic models of the system for both vertical and horizontal movements are developed first in order to get very similar responses to that of the real plant. These models are then used as test-beds to develop a set of hybrid-fuzzy PID controllers. The performance of the controllers in tracking movements in both vertical and horizontal planes are found to be very satisfactory in terms of accuracy, speed and the variations of reference signals. A comparative performance study of this hybrid fuzzy-PID control approach with respect to a single PID approach is also presented in this study