Implementation and Stabilization of a Quadcopter Using Arduino and the Combination of LQR and SMC Methods

Abstract

This paper presents a combination of Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) and Sliding Mode Control (SMC) methods to control a four-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that takes off and lands vertically (VTOL). Although controlling UAVs is difficult due to their highly nonlinear characteristics, the controller successfully controlled and stabilized the quadcopter in altitude and attitude by combining the advantages of the nonlinear and linear controllers. The Newton-Euler method is employed to build the dynamic model of the quadcopter, which is divided into two subsystems: the under-controlled subsystem and the fully actuated subsystem. The entire controller model was demonstrated in MATLAB/Simulink, and results demonstrating the controller's performance in various scenarios were obtained.