The Unscented Transform Controller: a new model predictive control law for highly nonlinear systems

TL;DR

This paper introduces the Unscented Transform Controller (UTC), a new model predictive control law for highly nonlinear systems, leveraging the Unscented Transform to improve control of complex nonlinear dynamics.

Contribution

The paper develops a novel predictive control law based on the Unscented Transform, providing a dual to the UKF for nonlinear plant control.

Findings

Successfully controlled complex skydiver maneuvers

Verified model accuracy in wind tunnel and free fall experiments

Demonstrated improved control performance for nonlinear systems

Abstract

The Unscented Transform which is the basis of the Unscented Kalman Filter, UKF, is used here to develop a novel predictive controller for non-linear plants, called the Unscented Transform Controller, UTC. The UTC can be seen as the dual of the UKF, the same way as the LQG regulator and the Kalman Filter are related. The UTC is demonstrated on the control of complex maneuvers in free fall of a virtual skydiver the model of which was verified in wind tunnel and free fall experiments.