Nonlinear Modeling and Robust Backstepping Control of a Quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

Developments in information technology have enabled unmanned aerial vehicles to decrease in size, increase their maneuverability and gain vertical landing and take-off features. In this research, a nonlinear model of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle was created using the MATLAB/Simulink program. A robust backstepping controller is designed to provide altitude and attitude control for this model. In order to prove the superiority of the backstepping controller, the results obtained with the classical Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller are compared with the performance of the backstepping controller. The rise time, overshoot and settling time values of the PID controller and the backstepping controller were compared. The results showed that the backstepping controller performed more successfully in controlling altitude and attitude angles.