Development of a novel disturbance observer based fractional order PD controller for a gun control system

Motion control of gun barrels is an ongoing topic for the development of gun control equipment (GCE) with excellent performances. In this paper, a novel disturbance observer (DOB) based fractional order PD (FOPD) control strategy is proposed for the GCE. By adopting the DOB, the control system behaves as if it were the nominal closed-loop system in the absence of disturbances and uncertainties. The optimal control parameters of the FOPD are determined from the loop-shaping perspective, and the Q-filter of the DOB is deliberately designed with consideration of system robustness. The linear frame of the proposed control system will enable the analysis process more convenient. The disturbance rejection properties and the tracking performances of the control system are investigated by both numerical and experimental tests, the results demonstrate that the proposed DOB based FOPD control system is of more robustness, and it is much more suitable for the gun control system with strong nonlinearity and disturbance.