Adaptive Control Based on Characteristic Model for a Hypersonic Flight Vehicle

In this paper, the adaptive control problem based on characteristic model is considered for a hypersonic flight vehicle with time varying parameters over large ranges. An error characteristic model is given and an inner-outer loop adaptive control method based on characteristic model is presented for the nonlinear systems with time varying parameters as well. It is proved theoretically that the proposed control law can not only track the set targets, but guarantee the bound of the system states. Based on the theory analysis, the inner-outer loop controller is designed for the longitudinal dynamics of such a generic hypersonic air vehicle that is nonlinear, unstable, multi-variable, and contains time varying uncertain parameters over large ranges. Simulations illustrate that the proposed controller meets the performance requirements and the constraint of the attack angle using relatively low-amplitude control inputs.