Robust backstepping tracking control of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems with application to quadrotor UAVs

In this paper, the backstepping technique and the signal compensation method are used to deal with the robust tracking control problem for a class of uncertain multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear systems with nonlinear uncertainties, external disturbances and internal couplings. The semiglobal robust stability and robust tracking property of the closed-loop system are proved through Lyapunov stability analysis. The tracking errors are restrained as small as desired with expected convergence rate, and the “calculation explosion” in the backstepping control law is avoided. Experimental results based on the self-developed quadrotor UAV platform verify the effectiveness of the proposed tracking control scheme.