UAVs are becoming increasingly prevalent in a wide range of fields, including surveillance, photography, agriculture, transportation, and communications. Hence, research institutions have developed a range of linear and non-linear controllers that can enhance the stability and efficiency of these UAVs while performing their assigned tasks. In this paper, we present a longitudinal autopilot design for the Sky Sailor solar UAV using two different control techniques. The first technique is a classic controller known as SLC (Successive Loop Closure), which is based on consecutive closed loops using a PID controller. The second technique is the TECS (Total Energy Control System) controller, which uses the specified total energy rate and energy distribution rate to regulate the airspeed and altitude of the UAV. After detailing the working principle of each controller and calculating the tuning parameters for each one, we applied the two techniques to the non-linear model that describes the behavior of the Sky Sailor UAV using MATLAB Simulink. The simulation results showed that the TECS controller is superior to the SLC controller in terms of stability and energy efficiency. As such, this technique is an excellent choice for solar drones, as it can increase their endurance.
UAV longitudinal autopilot design using SLC and TECS controllers
CEAS Aeronaut J
CEAS Aeronautical Journal ; 15 , 2 ; 351-362
2024-04-01
12 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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