SLIDING MODE TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO THE CONTROL OF A MICRO-AIR VEHICLE

Sliding mode techniques are applied to the control of a six-degree-of-freedom model of a micro air vehicle linearized about a hover condition. The vehicle in question is a generic, small, lift-augmented ducted fan. An asymptotic observer is used to minimize the sensitivity of the sliding mode controller to parasitic dynamics, here considered to be the dynamics of the vehicle’s actuators. The robustness of the sliding mode design is compared to that of a controller designed using classical loop-shaping techniques in a computer simulation of the vehicle in automated slow speed flight between pre-selected waypoints. The sliding mode design is shown to be superior to the loop-shape approach when variations in vehicle dynamics and actuator characteristics are introduced.