A Trajectory Tracking Design of Model Predictive Control for Autonomous Unmanned Helicopters

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Autonomous unmanned helicopters represent nonlinear complex systems, have multi mode characteristics and reactive dynamics in their flight missions. To fulfill flight missions completely and safely, model predictive control (MPC) has been considered recently as a tracking control system of autonomous unmanned helicopters especially for small helicopters. In recent years, the tracking control of autonomous unmanned helicopters is required to accomplish a complex trajectory such as in swarm and formation control. Unfortunately, any steady state errors caused by insufficient control system designs may lead to degradation of tracking performances or even failure in tracking mission. The internal model principle (IMP) has been known to produce perfect tracking for control systems. In order to establish good trajectory tracking of autonomous unmanned helicopters, the paper considers the internal model principle for designning the trajectory tracking of model predictive control. Simulation results show that the tracking erros are reduced significantly by selecting the trajectory as combination of modes of the open loop control systems. Autonomous unmanned helicopters represent nonlinear complex systems, have multi mode characteristics and reactive dynamics in their flight missions. To fulfill flight missions completely and safely, model predictive control (MPC) has been considered recently as a tracking control system of autonomous unmanned helicopters especially for small helicopters. In recent years, the tracking control of autonomous unmanned helicopters is required to accomplish a complex trajectory such as in swarm and formation control. Unfortunately, any steady state errors caused by insufficient control system designs may lead to degradation of tracking performances or even failure in tracking mission. The internal model principle (IMP) has been known to produce perfect tracking for control systems. In order to establish good trajectory tracking of autonomous unmanned helicopters, the paper considers the internal model principle for designning the trajectory tracking of model predictive control. Simulation results show that the tracking erros are reduced significantly by selecting the trajectory as combination of modes of the open loop control systems.