Robust Flight Control Design Using Sensor-Based Backstepping Control for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Abstract

The sensor-based backstepping control law, which is not sensitive to model uncertainty, uses less model knowledge and the measurements of state derivatives. A flight control law based on a sensor-based backstepping method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is proposed in this paper. The nonlinear model uncertainties of a UAV and sensor noise are concerning. Moreover, command filters are used to handle dynamics and saturation effects of the actuators for carrying out the flight control law. The simulation results show the proposed flight control law can guarantee the closed-loop system stability and has better tracking control performance than the block backstepping control law with model uncertainty.