Comparing approaches to quadrocopter control

Abstract

The present paper compares three approaches on a quadrocopter orientation and altitude control: the most frequently used PD and PID control, the Integral Backstepping methods and a nonlinear decomposition control. All these methods are verified and evaluated by simulation. The whole proposal was applied in Matlab with the described nonlinear model. The comparison shows that PD and PID control has the slowest entire controlling and has second the highest energy efficiency. The integral backstepping method has the fastest altitude control and the advantage was the highest energy efficiency. The method of nonlinear decomposition was the fastest when controlling the orientation (pitch, roll and yaw). The work offers a basis to physical realization and application of the designed control that will be carried out in the next phase.