2-D path following for fixed wing UAV using global fast terminal sliding mode control.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Control Systems Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Fixed-wing unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) require robust path following for diverse applications.
• Achieving finite-time convergence and mitigating control chattering are critical challenges in UAV control systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the finite-time convergence problem in 2-D path following for fixed-wing UAVs.
• To develop a control strategy that guarantees rapid convergence and eliminates undesirable chattering.

Main Methods:

• The UAV path following model was decomposed into an outer guidance loop and an inner control loop.
• Global fast terminal sliding mode control (GFTSMC) was employed to derive controllers for both loops.
• Lyapunov stability theory was utilized to rigorously prove the stability of the closed-loop system.

Main Results:

• The proposed GFTSMC technique ensures finite-time convergence of system state variables to desired values.
• Chattering phenomenon, common in sliding mode control, was effectively eliminated.
• Simulation results validated the superior performance and stability of the developed control method.

Conclusions:

• The implemented global fast terminal sliding mode control strategy provides an effective solution for 2-D path following in fixed-wing UAVs.
• The method guarantees finite-time convergence and enhances system stability, paving the way for more reliable UAV operations.