Flight control of a 3DOF quadrotor hover by state feedback with integral action

Year 2025, Issue: 063, 121 - 138, 30.12.2025

Ramazan Macit , Süleyman Mert Özer

https://doi.org/10.59313/jsr-a.1798667

Abstract

This study presents the design and experimental validation of a state feedback controller with integral action for a 3DOF (3-degree-of-freedom) quadrotor hover system. Unlike conventional state feedback structures that suffer from steady-state error and limited robustness, the proposed controller integrates an additional integral term to eliminate the steady-state error and improve fault-tolerant and disturbance rejection performance. In the controller design phase, the linear quadratic regulator framework is used. After the design phase, the proposed controller is implemented in both simulations and real-time experiments to show that the steady-state errors are successfully eliminated. Then, a series of robustness tests is carried out to assess the tracking performance of the controller under degraded conditions, including actuator fault scenarios and external disturbance rejection. The results show that the proposed controller guarantees closed-loop stability and achieves accurate attitude tracking along with successful motor fault compensation and external disturbance rejection. Furthermore, the real-time experimental results closely match the simulation results, which validates the real-time applicability of the proposed controller. Overall, the study presents a robust solution for attitude control of a quadrotor hover, which provides a valuable methodological and experimental contribution to the development of fault-tolerant control strategies for unmanned aerial vehicles.

Keywords

LQR control , integral action , state feedback , reference tracking , disturbance rejection

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