Output Feedback Control Synthesis for a Helicopter Using Explicit Nonlinear Model Predictive Control, Dynamic Inversion and Extended High Gain Observers

Control design for a helicopter is a challenging problem because of its non-affine inputs, complicated dynamics and it is an under-actuated system. To solve a control problem of the helicopter under model uncertainties and disturbance present environments, an Explicit Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (ENMPC), a dynamic inversion and an Extended High-Gain Observers (EHGO) are combined in a multi-time-scale fashion. The multi-time scaled structrue and the ENMPC provides the framework of the control design, the dynamic inversion deals with non-affine control inputs, and the EHGO estimates the unmeasured states and uncertainties. In addition, a discretization scheme using the saturation and adding low pass filters to the control inputs is presented. Finally, the numerical simulation of a fixed sampling period has been carried out to demonstrate the validity of the proposed multi-time-scale control design and the discretization scheme.