Finite‐time trajectory tracking control for autonomous airships with uncertainties and external disturbances

Abstract

This study addresses the finite‐time tracking control problem for autonomous airships with uncertainties and external disturbances. Six‐degree‐of‐freedom kinematics and dynamics equations are established by considering the model uncertainties and external disturbances. To handle the model uncertainties and external disturbances, a finite‐time sliding mode disturbance observer (DOB) is designed. To have a good tracking performance, a finite‐time command‐filtered backstepping‐supertwisting controller is proposed with DOB. By using Lyapunov theory, the finite‐time convergence of tracking errors and the stability of the control method is proved. Finally, the simulation results show that the controller can track the desired trajectory well in spite of model uncertainties and external disturbances.