Tracking controllers for small UAVs with wind disturbances: Theory and flight results

Abstract

This work outlines two approaches for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) performing surveillance with fixed cameras. Small UAVs present significant control challenges, due to relatively low-bandwidth actuation and significant disturbances due to wind. This work features implementations of a spatial sliding mode controller and a receding-horizon kinodynamic controller. The spatial sliding mode controller is designed to follow a desired aircraft path which places the camera-footprint on the desired locations, while the kinodynamic controller is designed to directly track a camera-footprint path. Since our objective is surveillance, we aim to compare the effectiveness of each controller in tracking a desired sensor path. Discussion of each controller is followed by simulation and flight test results.