Automatic landing of a UAV using Model Predictive Control for the surveillance of internal autopilot´s controls

Recent advancements in processing capabilities have enabled the possibility of use of new computationally costly control methods like the Model Predictive Control (MPC) on real-time applications. On this paper, a framework is proposed for the design of a supervising MPC to be implemented over a simpler, more reliable internal loop PID Autopilot without making any modifications to its structure. The proposed system was able to add new capabilities to the internal loop by making little corrections to its control demands, ensuring the compliance with restrictions. At the end, the system was able to ensure safe landing over many demanding conditions by effectively expanding the internal autopilots states and by enforcing altitude restrictions.