Adaptive Discrete-Time Flight Control Using Disturbance Observer and Neural Networks

This paper studies the adaptive neural control (ANC)-based tracking problem for discrete-time nonlinear dynamics of an unmanned aerial vehicle subject to system uncertainties, bounded time-varying disturbances, and input saturation by using a discrete-time disturbance observer (DTDO). Based on the approximation approach of neural network, system uncertainties are tackled approximately. To restrain the negative effects of bounded disturbances, a nonlinear DTDO is designed. Then, a backstepping technique-based ANC strategy is proposed by utilizing a constructed auxiliary system and a discrete-time tracking differentiator. The boundness of all signals is proven in the closed-loop system under the discrete-time Lyapunov analysis. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed ANC technique is further specified based on numerical simulation results.