This work presents a solution for the position-heading control problem of a small quadrotor. The main idea of this paper is to exploit the advantages of the Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) control approach, together with a feedback linearization approach, for designing a cascade control structure without the need to perform simplifications with respect to the reference dynamic model used in the literature. The use of a LPV representation of the attitude subsystem allows to consider it as independent from the position one, leading to a well known cascade control structure. For the inner attitude control loop, the proposed qLPV-LQR controller and Proportional-Integral Observer (PIO) are solved in an optimal manner by solving a set of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). While for the outer position control loop, a feedback linearization approach is developed before designing the corresponding controller and PI-Observer also minimizing the LQR problem by means of LMIs. Furthermore, another outer loop, interchangeable with the position one, such that controls the velocities in the Body frame is proposed. This velocities controller is also solved in an optimal manner using a combination of feedback linearization and LPV techniques. The proposed solutions are applied to an AscTec Hummingbird UAV in simulation.

Peer Reviewed