Nonlinear Control of Aircraft Flight Dynamics Using Integrator-Backstepping Design Method

This paper investigated a nonlinear control algorithm for flight dynamics of aircraft using an integrator backstepping-based design. The paper focused on two points. Firstly, a systematic procedure was presented for formulating an integrator-backstepping law for a strict-feedback form of nonlinear dynamic system. In this approach, a set of coordinate transformations including a definition of modified tracking error and state feedback laws is provided to transform a strict-feedback model into a state-decoupled linear model. This process of control design is implemented using a backstepping recursive design in which a backstepping control law is formulated for further study. Secondly, successful applications of roll dynamics of L-59 aircraft model and longitudinal dynamics of F-16 aircraft model were restructured in a strict-feedback form of nonlinear dynamic system under a series of less restrictive assumptions. A direct applicability of the proposed control theoretic framework was used to derive backstepping control laws for the achieved models. To show advancement, improvement, and validation of the proposed control method, both simulation and experimental studies were implemented, which used the numerical simulation of the flight path angle control of the longitudinal motion of an F-16 aircraft model and an experimental study of roll angle control of an L-59 aircraft model to validate the proposed control approach.