Robust Full Tracking Control Design of Disturbed Quadrotor UAVs with Unknown Dynamics

Abstract

In this study, we develop a rigorous tracking control approach for quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with unknown dynamics, unknown physical parameters, and subject to unknown and unpredictable disturbances. In order to better estimate the unknown functions, seven interval type-2-adaptive fuzzy systems (IT2-AFSs) and five adaptive systems are designed. Then, a new IT2 adaptive fuzzy reaching sliding mode system (IT2-AFRSMS) which generates an optimal smooth adaptive fuzzy reaching sliding mode control law (AFRSMCL) using IT2-AFSs is introduced. The AFRSMCL is designed a way that ensures that its gains are efficiently estimated. Thus, the global proposed control law can effectively achieve the predetermined performances of the tracking control while simultaneously avoiding the chattering phenomenon, despite the approximation errors and all disturbances acting on the quadrotor dynamics. The adaptation laws are designed by utilizing the stability analysis of Lyapunov. A simulation example is used to validate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method of control. The obtained results confirm the results of the mathematical analysis in guaranteeing the tracking convergence and stability of the closed loop dynamics despite the unknown dynamics, unknown disturbances, and unknown physical parameters of the controlled system.