Velocity-free Attitude Control of Quadrotors: A Nonlinear Negative Imaginary Approach

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel nonlinear negative imaginary control method for quadrotor attitude regulation that does not require angular velocity measurements, ensuring robust stability despite uncertainties and disturbances.

Contribution

It develops a velocity-free attitude control approach using nonlinear negative imaginary system theory, a novel application in quadrotor control.

Findings

Achieves robust asymptotic stability of quadrotor attitude.

Eliminates the need for angular velocity measurements.

Demonstrates effectiveness under uncertainties and disturbances.

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new approach to the attitude control of quadrotors, by which angular velocity measurements or a model-based observer reconstructing the angular velocity are not needed. The proposed approach is based on recent stability results obtained for nonlinear negative imaginary systems. In specific, by constructing the respective storage functions, we establish the nonlinear negative imaginary properties of the whole quadrotor system and the quadrotor rotational subsystem. Then, an inner-outer loop method will be implemented to synthesize a strictly negative imaginary controller. This guarantees the robust asymptotic stability of the attitude of the quadrotor about its reference signal in the face of modeling uncertainties and external disturbances.