An LPV Path-Following Controller for Small Fixed-Wing UAS

Multiple path-following controllers for a small fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) are presented, including a linear parameter-varying (LPV) controller scheduled over path curvature. The controllers were synthesized based on a lumped path-following and UAS dynamic system, effectively combining the six degree-of-freedom aircraft dynamics with established parallel transport frame virtual vehicle dynamics. The robustness and performance of these controllers were tested in a rigorous MATLAB simulation environment that included steady winds, turbulence, measurement noise, and delays. The controllers presented within were found to be robust to the disturbances and uncertainties in the simulation environment, and allowed the aircraft to follow prescribed geometrically defined paths bounded by a maximum curvature.