Output feedback stabilization for a PVTOL aircraft based on a sliding mode combined with an energy control strategy

A control strategy for the regulation of a PVTOL, based on output-feedback, is introduced. To this end, a couple of controllers or actuators that operate concurrently are proposed. One of them stabilizes the vertical variable in finite time, by means of a novel sliding mode controller. The other actuator uses the energy control approach to balance, simultaneously, the horizontal and angular variables. The needed velocity is computed using the well-known supertwisting algorithm, which works independently of the controllers. To verify the performance of the stabilizing strategy, a numerical experiment and a numerical comparison among two well-known control strategies, were carried out.