A survey on fractional order control techniques for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles

In recent years, numerous applications of science and engineering for modeling and control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) systems based on fractional calculus have been realized. The extra fractional order derivative terms allow to optimizing the performance of the systems. The review presented in this paper focuses on the control problems of the UAVs and UGVs that have been addressed by the fractional order techniques over the last decade

Kesan penggunaan prosedur pembelajaran kawalan kendiri (self-regulated learning) terhadap pencapaian akademik, kemahiran meta kognitif dan motivasi pelajar politeknik : kajian kes

Pembelajaran Kawalan Kendiri (PKK) merupakan satu strategi pembelajaran efektif yang membantu pelajar untuk kompeten dan mempunyai autonomi dalam diri. Namun, prosedur yang betul bagi mengaplikasikan PKK masih memerlukan penambahbaikan disebabkan oleh pelajar cepat bosan belajar subjek teori. Pelajar juga didapati mengamalkan surface learning, mudah hilang fokus dalam kelas dan tidak cekap dalam mengawal kemahiran meta kognitif. Oleh itu, tujuan kajian ini dilaksanakan adalah untuk membangunkan satu prosedur PKK khusus untuk pelajar politeknik yang mengambil subjek Prinsip Pengurusan dan diuji keberkesanannya terhadap pencapaian akademik, kemahiran meta kognitif dan motivasi pelajar. Terdapat dua (2) fasa telah digunakan dalam kajian ini. Fasa pertama (1) ialah pembangunan prosedur PKK menggunakan analisis dokumen dan model Kemp. Analisis frekuensi telah digunakan dalam fasa ini. Terdapat tiga (3) hasil dapatan kajian daripada fasa pembangunan iaitu Prosedur PKK, Aktiviti Pengajaran dan Rancangan Pengajaran Harian (RPH). Fasa kedua (2) ialah pelaksanaan prosedur PKK menggunakan reka bentuk kuasi eksperimen iaitu ujian pra-pasca bagi kumpulan-kumpulan tidak seimbang. 43 orang pelajar Politeknik Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (POLISAS) telah dipilih sebagai kumpulan rawatan manakala 38 orang pelajar Politeknik Merlimau (PMM) sebagai kumpulan kawalan. Analisis deskriptif skor min dan analisis inferensi MANCOVA telah digunakan dalam kajian ini bagi menguji perbezaan antara kumpulan kajian. Berdasarkan hasil analisis MANCOVA yang telah dijalankan, didapati wujud perbezaan yang signifikan secara statistik antara kumpulan rawatan dan kawalan bagi pencapaian akademik [F (1, 76) = 24.786, p = .000], kemahiran meta kognitif [F (1, 76) = 14.864, p = .000] dan motivasi [F (1, 76) = 65.148, p = .000]. Kesimpulannya, prosedur PKK terbukti berkesan dan boleh dijadikan panduan kepada pensyarah dalam mengaplikasikan PKK dengan lebih efektif dan berkesan

Robustness analysis of evolutionary controller tuning using real systems

A genetic algorithm (GA) presents an excellent method for controller parameter tuning. In our work, we evolved the heading as well as the altitude controller for a small lightweight helicopter. We use the real flying robot to evaluate the GA's individuals rather than an artificially consistent simulator. By doing so we avoid the ldquoreality gaprdquo, taking the controller from the simulator to the real world. In this paper we analyze the evolutionary aspects of this technique and discuss the issues that need to be considered for it to perform well and result in robust controllers

A High Performance Fuzzy Logic Architecture for UAV Decision Making

The majority of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in operation today are not truly autonomous, but are instead reliant on a remote human pilot. A high degree of autonomy can provide many advantages in terms of cost, operational resources and safety. However, one of the challenges involved in achieving autonomy is that of replicating the reasoning and decision making capabilities of a human pilot. One candidate method for providing this decision making capability is fuzzy logic. In this role, the fuzzy system must satisfy real-time constraints, process large quantities of data and relate to large knowledge bases. Consequently, there is a need for a generic, high performance fuzzy computation platform for UAV applications. Based on Lees’ [1] original work, a high performance fuzzy processing architecture, implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), has been developed and is shown to outclass the performance of existing fuzzy processors

Comparative of Ziegler Nichols, Fuzzy Logic and Extremum Seeking Based Proportional Integral Derivative Controller for Quadcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Stability Control

Unmanned aerial vehicle is potentially recognized in autonomous sectors where intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance missions, power line inspection, aerial video, search and rescue monitoring devices are required. It is essential in modern era control and monitoring especially a rotary unit where quadcopter performed a crucial task. However, the flight behavior of a quadcopter is determined by the synchronous speed of each of the motors as the speed changes with load torque variations. The dynamics model equation of the system, external disturbances and its parameters variation of the motor makes it difficult for the manual tuning techniques employed into the system to perform its stability operation. The purpose of this work is to employ adaptive controllers to enhance the stability performance so as to prevent the risk of human lives and financial implication that may arise from improper monitoring of the system. Therefore, Ziegler Nichols, fuzzy logic and extremum seeking controllers were employed to auto-tuned the parameters of proportional integral derivative (PID) gains controller to optimize and give a satisfactory performance of motor speed control at different operating condition. The altitude, pitch, roll and yaw parameters of the quadcopter are simulated using the x-plane II flight simulator MATLAB tools. The simulation results presented in this work show better performance for extremum seeking-PID in terms of decrease in rise time, settling time and overshoot relative to Zigler-Nichols-PID and Fuzzy-PID controllers

Carrier-phase GNSS attitude determination and control for small UAV applications

As part of our recent research to assess the potential of low-cost navigation sensors for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications, we investigated the potential of carrier-phase Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for attitude determination and control of small size UAVs. Recursive optimal estimation algorithms were developed for combining multiple attitude measurements obtained from different observation points (i.e., antenna locations), and their efficiencies were tested in various dynamic conditions. The proposed algorithms converged rapidly and produced the required output even during high dynamics manoeuvres. Results of theoretical performance analysis and simulation activities are presented in this paper, with emphasis on the advantages of the GNSS interferometric approach in UAV applications (i.e., low cost, high data-rate, low volume/weight, low signal processing requirements, etc.). The simulation activities focussed on the AEROSONDE UAV platform and considered the possible augmentation provided by interferometric GNSS techniques to a low-cost and low-weight/volume integrated navigation system (presented in the first part of this series) which employed a Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) system, a MicroElectro-Mechanical Sensor (MEMS) based Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and code-range GNSS (i.e., GPS and GALILEO) for position and velocity computations. The integrated VBN-IMU-GNSS (VIG) system was augmented using the inteferometric GNSS Attitude Determination (GAD)sensor data and a comparison of the performance achieved with the VIG and VIG/GAD integrated Navigation and Guidance Systems (NGS) is presented in this paper. Finally, the data provided by these NGS are used to optimise the design of a hybrid controller employing Fuzzy Logic and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) techniques for the AEROSONDE UAV