Nonlinear state-dependent Riccati equation control of a quadrotor UAV

Small quadrotor UAVs represent a very interesting class of small flying robots because of their ability to fly in- and outdoor. Therefore, these vehicles have an enormous potential for near-area surveillance and exploration. However, especially indoor flight is a difficult task for vehicle control which has to stabilize the desired velocity vector and the required attitude of the quadrotor. This paper mainly describes the development of such a nonlinear vehicle control system based on state-dependent Riccati equations (SDRE). The controller is integrated in an overall mission system concept for UAVs.