Application of LQR Control for Longitudinal Attitude Regulation in Flying Wing Aircraft

Abstract

The development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has garnered significant attention from various sectors, especially in the context of aerospace engineering, due to their versatility and increasing applications. UAVs have found widespread use in missions such as regional surveillance, military reconnaissance, and mapping tasks. However, the relatively small size of these aircraft makes them highly susceptible to environmental disturbances, particularly wind, which can lead to instability and potential stalling, thereby compromising mission success. This issue emphasizes the need for an effective and responsive control system capable of adjusting the UAV's motion to prevent such instability.In this research, the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) control method is implemented to manage the roll angle of a flying wing UAV, ensuring the maintenance of its longitudinal stability. The study demonstrates that the LQR control method effectively regulates the roll angle, allowing the aircraft to maintain stable flight under various conditions. Experimental results reveal that when the roll angle is disturbed, the UAV experiences a brief overshoot of 4.28°, but quickly returns to its stable state. The system exhibits a rise time of 0.7 seconds, a settling time of 1.3 seconds, and a steady-state error of 1.37°, indicating the effectiveness of the LQR control in maintaining longitudinal stability despite external disturbances.