Simulation-based assessment of quadrotor linear control schemes

Abstract

This work aims at finding the most suited control scheme for a typical quad-rotor. Selecting the appropriate controller is essential to achieve system stability. The most common control schemes are compared in terms of their performance in hovering mode. The quad-rotor propellers are modeled based on both momentum theory and blade element theory. The model describing the six-degrees of freedom system is used to develop a control strategy using different types of controllers such as PID, Fuzzy, Optimal, LQ), as well as LQR controller. The current work is confined to linear control schemes in hovering flight mode, where the comparison is based on achieving stable attitude in hovering. The simulation results show that the LQR controller is the most efficient control method to minimize the steady-state error.