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Published in IET Control Theory and Applications
Received on 27th April 2011
Revised on 26th October 2011
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

ISSN 1751-8644

Attitude controller design of mini-unmanned aerial

vehicles using fuzzy sliding-mode control degraded
by white noise interference
F.-K.Yeh
Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Chung Chou University of Science andTechnology,
Changhua 510,Taiwan
E-mail: fkyeh@dragon.ccut.edu.tw

Abstract: This work addresses an attitude controller design using a fuzzy sliding-mode controller, which is mainly composed
of the sliding-mode controller and the fuzzy inference mechanism, for a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (mini-UAV) with
propellers, to follow the predetermined trajectory. In this study, a fuzzy sliding-mode controller with a sliding surface vector
is proposed, such that a simple fuzzy inference mechanism is adopted with centre of membership functions to estimate the
upper bound of lumped uncertainty. Accordingly, the attitude trajectory tracking control using the proposed control strategy is
illustrated while a mini-UAV is ying. Finally, the authors use the Lyapunov stability theory to achieve the stability analysis
of the overall attitude tracking system degraded by white noise interference. Extensive simulation results are obtained to
validate the effectiveness of the fuzzy sliding-mode controller.

Nomenclature
J
P
Q
R
S
V
d
l
m
n
t
treach

moment of inertia matrix

roll rate
pitch rate
yaw rate
sliding surface vector
Lyapunov function
disturbance
rolling moment
pitching moment
yawing moment
present time
time to reach sliding surface
bank angle
pitch angle
heading

Introduction

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft that ies

without a human crew on board the aircraft. Many hobbyists
embark on developing UAVs for surveillance, detection
and destroying specic targets etc. This paper focuses on
the attitude tracking in the development of a situational
awareness system that allows for safe operation of UAVs.
For the reasons stated above, we know that the attitude
control of UAVs for the space development is essential
to successfully operate with higher level of autonomy and
IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

to execute very complex military and civilian applications

[1, 2].
A distributed algorithm is developed for task assignment,
coordination and communication of multiple UAVs engaging
multiple targets to conceive an ad hoc routing algorithm
for synchronisation of target lists using a distributed
computing topology [3]. Merino et al. [4] present a
cooperative perception system for multiple heterogeneous
UAVs with different kinds of sensors: infrared and
visual cameras and re detectors to implement cooperative
perception techniques on automatic forest re detection
and localisation. To develop guidance strategy and control
design, a hand-launched small UAV has been addressed to
offer reliable aerial platform for ground reconnaissance [5].
To deal with the non-linear mini-UAV dynamics, we
employ the Eulerian representation [6, 7] to model the
kinematic equations of rotational motion and the time
derivative of angular velocities, so that the attitude tracking
control is applicable. To cope with the non-ideal factors
surrounding the mini-UAV of the external disturbances such
as wind and noise, robust feedback control shall be applied
to ensure stability and system performance. Various control
strategies have been proposed by many researchers in the
last few years to control mini-UAV dynamics and to design
the effective control laws such as: H-innity control [810],
which presented approaches to design compensators for
attitude tracking using H-innity output-feedback design
techniques, is employed to guarantee the robust stability;
linear matrix inequality (LMI) control algorithm [11],
which presented a micro-helicopter controller design via a
typical LMI approach, is proposed to compare the effects
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between the LMI approach and the sum of square approach;
adaptive control method [12, 13], which proposed an
adaptive strategy to enhance capabilities of the mini-UAV
navigation and the attitude angular velocity tracking control,
respectively, is used to estimate unknown parameters.
A fuzzy gain scheduler [14] is introduced and the stability
condition is derived for being capable of vertical take-off
and landing. A fuzzy logic based on closed-loop strapdown
attitude algorithm [15] is utilised for online scheduling of the
parameters for the ltering estimator. Backstepping methods
[16, 17] are presented for tracking controller design of the
path following control and for velocity control of a miniUAV. The PID control [18] is also utilised to validate in both
hardware-in-the-loop simulations and actual experiments,
and a hybrid PID velocity control method based on a single
neuron [19] achieves stable attitude in hover and improves
the stability of the attitude control system. A wind tunnel
experiment for a generic unmanned combat aerial vehicle
is conducted at a variety of angles of attack up to 70 and
with various frequencies of pitch oscillation to investigate
the non-linear aerodynamic characteristics [20].
We recognised that the sliding-mode control is an
effective method for mini-UAVs with propellers to eliminate
system uncertainties. Despite the popularity of such a control
technique, it is, however, well known that the chattering
problem is worthy of more attention for the sake of practical
deployment. Taking into consideration the aforementioned
reason, a guide to sliding-mode control for practical
implementation has been proposed by Young et al. [21]. The
chattering phenomenon can be solved by using the saturation
function [22], which is a non-continuous solution, or the
hyperbolic tangent function [23], which is a continuous
solution, respectively, to replace the sign function. Levant
[24] proposed a super-twisting algorithm, which is robust
to disturbances, using second-order sliding-mode control.
Yeh [25] presents a spacecraft attitude manoeuvring control
system using adaptive sliding-mode control to complete
stability and performance analysis. A feedback linearisationbased controller with a high-order sliding-mode observer is
proposed to be applied to a quadrotor UAV [26]. Galzi and
Shtessel [27] proposed formations of mini-UAV using highorder sliding-mode controllers with robust and continuous
characteristics to achieve leader/followers collision-free
path-tracking effect in the presence of unknown bounded
disturbances. A sliding-mode controller incorporated with
backstepping approach is used by Bouadi et al. [28] for
the synthesis of tracking errors to ensure Lyapunov stability
and for the handling of all system non-linearities and
desired tracking trajectories. Considering a famous nonlinear control method, the constructive non-linear control
of descriptive stability and optimality concepts has been
proposed by Kokotovic and Arcak [29] to be applied to
a feedback passivation design for a turbocharged diesel
engine.
Synergetic control theory and method of analytical design
of aggregated regulators have been proposed by Kolesnikov
and Kuzmenko [30] for compensating the external harmonic
disturbances to achieve the asymptotic stability of the
closed-loop power system, and by Kolesnikov [31] for
nding of common objective laws of control processes in
a forced dynamics system, as well as by Kondratiev et al.
[32] for a DCDC buck converter with constant power load.
In this paper, we investigate the fuzzy sliding-mode
controller design for mini-UAVs with propellers, using the
sliding-mode control to eliminate the lumped uncertainty
and the fuzzy inference mechanism to estimate the upper
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bound of lumped uncertainty. The paper is organised as

follows. In Section 2, vehicle attitude dynamic model
is established to represent the dynamic equations of
angular displacements and angular velocities of mini-UAVs
equipped with propellers. In Section 3, we propose the
sliding-mode attitude controller aiming for tracking the
predetermined attitude trajectory. For tracking realisation,
simulation results incorporating the so-called Euler-based
attitude control are developed in Section 4. To demonstrate
the superior property of the proposed attitude controller,
numerical simulations are provided in that section. Finally,
conclusions are drawn in Section 5.

Vehicle attitude dynamic model

Attitude dynamic is the modelling of the changing position

and orientation of vehicles, because of external forces acting
on the body. In general, vehicle actuators are used to achieve
a desired attitude, whereas attitude determination is the
utilisation of vehicle sensors to ascertain the current vehicle
attitude. The attitude dynamics of a mini-UAV with two
mains and two minor propellers are considered, referring
to Fig. 1. To establish the attitude dynamic model of the
vehicle, the at-earth assumption is utilised because it is
operated over a small local region on earth. The attitude
dynamic model of the vehicle is mapped by a set of three
highly non-linear differential equations [6, 7], namely
l = Jx P Jzx (R + PQ) (Jy Jz )QR
Jzx (R2 P 2 ) (Jz Jx )RP
m = Jy Q

(1)

n = Jz R Jzx (P QR) (Jx Jy )PQ

(3)

(2)

where l, m and n are the rolling, pitching and yawing

moments, respectively, P(t), Q(t) and R(t) are the roll, pitch
and yaw rates, respectively. The moment of inertia matrix
Jb is symmetric, positive denite, and dened by


Jx
Jb = Jyx
Jzx

Jxy
Jy
Jzy

Jxz
Jyz
Jz


(4)

Since xz-plane of the mini-UAV is the plane of symmetry,

the products of inertia Jxy and Jyz are thus vanished.

Fig. 1

Scheme of UAV
IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

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Rearranging (1)(3) and adding external disturbance models,
yields
P =

1
{Jz [l + (Jy Jz )QR]
Jx Jz Jxz2

+ [n + (Jx Jy + Jz )PQ Jxz QR]Jxz } + d1

= 1 [m + (Jz Jx )RP + Jzx (R2 P 2 )] + d2
Q
Jy
1
R =
{Jx [n + (Jx Jy )PQ]
Jx Jz Jxz2

(5)

+ [l (Jx Jy + Jz )RQ + Jxz PQ]Jxz } + d3

(7)

(6)

For simplicity, if all components of the mini-UAV are

properly allocated, then the yz-plane may be designed to
be nearly a plane of symmetry, so that the product of
inertia Jxz is nearly vanished. This design constraint may
reduce the coupling effects of rigid body dynamics and thus
decrease the burden of the attitude dynamic control system.
The schematic conguration of the vehicle is presented in
Fig. 1. The vehicle has two mains and two minor propellers.
Therefore the attitude dynamic model can be yielded as
(Jy Jz )QR
l
P =
+ + d1
Jx
Jx
= (Jz Jx )RP + m + d2
Q
Jy
Jy
(Jx Jy )PQ
n
R =
+ + d3
Jz
Jz

(8)
(9)

= P + tan (Q sin + R cos )

= Q cos R sin

(11)

= (Q sin + R cos )/ cos

(13)

(12)

Equations (8)(13) constitute the equations of motion of the

vehicle for attitude dynamics.

Fuzzy sliding-mode attitude controller

Considering the presence of lumped uncertainty, mainly

consisting of model uncertainties, parameter variations and
disturbances, we recognised that the sliding-mode control
is an effectively robust controller for various applications.
In this paper, we design the fuzzy sliding-mode controller
not only to eliminate the lumped uncertainty but also to
estimate the upper bound of lumped uncertainty with a fuzzy
inference mechanism for a mini-UAV during the whole
ying course.
In general, there are two phases, which are reaching
and sliding conditions, to be suitably chosen to satisfy the
convergence requirement for the proposed controller design.
If the sliding condition is veried to satisfy the requirement
of sliding-mode controller, then the exponential stability of
IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

Remark 1: First, to choose the sliding surface vector such

that the sliding condition will be satised and hence the
origin of tracking errors dynamics for the sliding surface
vector is exponentially stable, that is
S = [S1

S2

S3 ]T = [ + 1

+ 1

T
+ 1 ]
(14)

where 1 , 2 and 3 are positive-denite values. Denote

= 0 , = 0 and = 0 to be the angular
displacement errors, whereas , , and 0 , 0 , 0 are
the current angular displacements and the constant angular
displacements with respect to the x-, y- and z-axis of the
mini-UAV body frame, respectively. From the sliding-mode
control, once the reaching condition is satised, the system
is eventually forced to stay on the sliding surface vector. By
sliding-mode control, if the reaching condition is satised,
then the sliding surface vector will be forced to be the zero
vector, that is, S31 = 031 . It can be proved that the angular
and will be driven to be zero
displacement errors ,
inherently. When the system is constrained in the sliding and
mode dynamics and so will the error derivatives ,

and being driven to be zero. For the

of the ,
,
,
= 0 of tracking
,
,
)
above reason, the origin (,
16
errors dynamics of the ideal system can be veried to be
exponentially stable.

(10)

The direction and thrust of the minor propellers can be

modulated to produce desired external moments, that is, l,
m and n. We assume that the thrust of each propeller is
directly controlled, that is, we do not consider the dynamics
of rotors and propellers. The relationship between the body
and )
is given
rate (P, Q and R) and the Euler rates (,
as [6, 7]

the attitude control for a mini-UAV can be guaranteed as

long as the sliding surface vector is appropriately chosen.

The upper bound of the lumped uncertainty, which

includes external disturbances and internal perturbations, for
the sliding-mode control needs to be determined before the
controller is running. In general, the upper bound of the
lumped uncertainty is difcult to be obtained for slidingmode control in advance by computing, but always by the
method of trial and error. In this section, a fuzzy slidingmode controller is proposed, in which a fuzzy inference
mechanism is used to estimate the upper bound of lumped
uncertainty. We recognised that the prior expert knowledge
of the fuzzy inference mechanism, which can be used to
estimate the upper bound of the lumped uncertainty, is
available effectively.
The control block diagram of a fuzzy sliding-mode
controller is depicted as in Fig. 2. Based on fuzzy set theory,
the associated fuzzy sets involved in the fuzzy control rules
are dened and listed as follows:
P
Z
N
PH
PB
PM
PS
ZE
NS
NM
NB
NH

positive
zero
negative
positive huge
positive big
positive medium
positive small
zero
negative small
negative medium
negative big
negative huge

Here, their universe of discourse is all assigned to be

[8, 8]. The membership functions for the fuzzy sets
corresponding to sliding surface vector S, their derivatives
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Fig. 2

Control block diagram of a fuzzy sliding-mode controller

Fig. 3

Membership functions of fuzzy sets

S i , i = 1, 2, 3 and the upper bound of the lumped

uncertainties i , i = 1, 2, 3 are dened in Fig. 3.
Thus, the three fuzzy subsets, N, Z and P for sliding
surface vector are dened in terms of Si and S i , i = 1, 2, 3,
respectively. The fuzzy inference mechanism contains only
nine rules. The resulting fuzzy inference rules are as follows:
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule
Rule

1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:

if
if
if
if
if
if
if
if
if

Si
Si
Si
Si
Si
Si
Si
Si
Si

is
is
is
is
is
is
is
is
is

P and S i is P then i is PH;

P and S i is Z then i is PB;
P and S i is N then i is PM;
Z and S i is P then i is PS;
Z and S i is Z then i is ZE;
Z and S i is N then i is NS;
N and S i is P then i is NM;
N and S i is Z then i is NB;
N and S i is N then i is NH.

Rule 1 is the condition that if the sliding variable Si and

the derivative S i of Si are both positive then the upper bound
of the lumped uncertainty i is positive and huge for the
occurrence of sliding condition. Moreover, Rule 5 is the
condition that if the sliding variable Si and the derivative
S i of Si are both zero then the upper bound of the lumped
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uncertainty i is zero for the occurrence of sliding condition.

In turn, the same analysis can be made to explain the other
fuzzy rules.
The fuzzy outputs i , i = 1, 2, 3, can be calculated by the
centre of area (COA) defuzzication as



i1 

.. 
 [c
ci9 ] . 
  i1
 9



i9 
 j=1 ij cij  
 = |cT i |,
i =  9
=
9
i






ij
ij
j=1
j=1








i = 1, 2, 3

(15)

where cTi = [ci1 ci9 ] is an adjustable parameter vector,

ci1 through ci9 are the centre of 
the membership functions of
i , and Ti = ([i1 i9 ]/ 9j=1 ij ) is a ring strength
vector. Here, the absolute value of cTi i in (15) is used
to satisfy the requirement of that the upper bound of
uncertainties is greater than or equal to zero, that is, i 0.
The following theorem is introduced to enable the fuzzy
sliding-mode controller such that the reaching condition is
IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

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satised. By Lyapunov stability theory, the fuzzy slidingmode attitude controller of the mini-UAV can be proved
as an exponentially stable system. The sufcient conditions
for successful stability effect are stated in the following
theorem.

constrained by the following derivations, referring to (14), as

Theorem 1: Fuzzy sliding-mode attitude controller: Let the

state space dynamic model be given by (8)(13), and if the
control input moments l, m and n are proposed as

In order to analyse the stability of the mini-UAV attitude

tracking system, we dene the sliding surface vector as (14).
Now we employ Lyapunovs stability theory to dene the
Lyapunov function as

l = (Jy Jz )QR + Jx P

m = (Jz Jx )RP + Jy Q

Q
= C 1 A B

S 2

S 3 ]T = [ + 1

V =

(16)

n = (Jx Jy )PQ + Jz R
where

S = [S 1

where S = [S1

S2

+ 1

T
+ 1 ]
(18)

1 2 1 2 1 2
S + S + S
2 1 2 2 2 3

(19)

S3 ]T . Differentiating (19), we have

V = S1 S 1 + S2 S 2 + S3 S 3

(20)

(17)

and (see equation at the bottom of the page)

where 1 , 2 and 3 are small positive values, which are
computed by (15), and S1 , S2 and S3 can be chosen using
a practical technique to avoid the singularity for computing
the inversion of the square matrix C. Denote

S>0
1
sign (S) = 0
S=0

1 S < 0
to be the sign function. Then the exponential stability and
robustness of the fuzzy sliding-mode attitude control system
can be achieved.
Proof: To achieve the exponential stability and convergence
of the mini-UAV attitude tracking system designed by the
fuzzy sliding-mode control, the non-linear attitude controller
for the mini-UAV is developed such that the reaching
condition is satised. The main goal of this controller is
to eliminate the lumped uncertainty of the attitude tracking
system in the rotational directions, that is, the current angular
displacements , and will reach the constant angular
displacements 0 , 0 and 0 in the body coordinate as
time approaches to innity. The system dynamics are then

Substitute (8)(13) and (18) into (20), and let the control
input moments l, m and n be given by (16) and (17);
therefore (20) can be further proposed as
V = (S1 + 1 )sign (S1 ) (S2 + 2 )sign (S2 )
(S3 + 3 )sign (S3 )
|S1 | |S2 | |S3 |

(21)

where 1 , 2 and 3 are small positive values.

To avoid the singularity for computing the inversion of
the square matrix C, the determinant of matrix C can be
computed as
|C| = S1 S2 S3 cos

(22)

We proposed a practical technique that if any element of

sliding-surface vector is equal to zero, that is, Si = 0, i =
1, 2, 3, then the sliding surface vector S = [S1 S2 S3 ]T
can be substituted by S  = [S1 S2 S3 ]T , where S1 , S2 and
S3 can be chosen to be small positive values. From (22),
to avoid the singularity for computing the inversion of the
square matrix C, the pitch angle cannot work for that the
pitch angle is equal to 90 . For the value of cos we
can constrain the angular tracking in a constraint angular
displacement, that is, 90 < < 90 . So that the value of
cos is positive. Therefore, the singularity for computing
the inversion of the square matrix C can be avoided.

S1 (Q sin sec2 + R cos sec2 + Q sin ) 0

RS1 tan sin
S2 (Q sin + R cos )
0
0

A=

S (Q cos R sin )
S3 sin (Q sin + R cos )
3
0
cos
cos2

S1 (1 P + 1 tan (Q sin + R cos )) + (S1 + S1 1 )sign(S1 )

S2 2 (Q cos R sin ) + (S2 + S2 2 )sign(S2 )

B=

S3 3 (Q sin + R cos )
+ (S3 + S3 3 )sign(S3 )
cos


S1 S1 sin tan S1 cos tan

S2 cos
S2 sin
C = 0


0 S3 sin cos S3 cos cos

IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212

doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

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From the derivation in (19) and (21), we have the outside
of the scalar S1 , S2 and S3 as
1 d 2
S |Si |,
2 dt i

i = 1, 2, 3

(23)

Integrating the above equations for Si (t = 0) > 0 and Si (t =

0) < 0, i = 1, 2, 3, between t = 0 to t = treach leads to
Si (t = treach ) Si (t = 0) = 0 Si (t = 0) (treach 0)
(24)
and thus
treach |Si (t = 0)|

(25)

Therefore the sliding variables Si , i = 1, 2, 3 will be

converged to zero in a nite time. Finally, the main goal
of achieving exponential stability and robustness of the
sliding-mode attitude tracking system can be guaranteed
completely.

Remark 2: However, because that the non-ideality in the
practical implementation of the sign function sign(S) exists,
the control input moments l, m and n in (16) and (17) always
suffers from the chattering problem. To alleviate such an
undesirable phenomenon, the sign function can be simply
replaced by the hyperbolic tangent function. The system is
now no longer forced to stay on the sliding surface vector
but is constrained within the boundary layer |Si | , i = 1,
2, 3, where is a small positive value.
To alleviate the chattering phenomenon, the hyperbolic
tangent function may be used to the control input of the
attitude tracking system with the sliding-mode controller.
Consequently, the term i sign (Si ), i = 1, 2, 3, in (17) can
be replaced by
i tanh(5Si /),

i = 1, 2, 3

moments of inertia of the mini-UAV are set as Jx =

0.0144 kgm, Jy = 0.0254 kgm and Jz = 0.0312 kgm. In our
simulation, some positive-denite values of i = 5, i = 1,
2, 3 [see (14)] for the sliding-surface vector and the upper
bound of lumped uncertainty i , i = 1, 2, 3 [see (15)] for
eliminating the disturbances as well as Si = 0.0001, i = 1,
2, 3 [see (22)] for avoiding the singularity for computing
the inversion of the square matrix C, are all adopted.
The appealing effect of the fuzzy sliding-mode attitude
control presented is given in Fig. 4, which shows the
successful tracking performance of the present attitude that
the current angular displacements , and are reached
to the constant angular displacements 0 = 0.3, 0 = 0.7 and
0 = 1.2 rad in the body coordinate. From Fig. 4, the attitude
tracking effect is fullled almost totally after 6 s. This is to
show the feasibility of the conclusion from (21) and to show
well the results of attitude tracking of the mini-UAV. Here,
the robustness and effectiveness can also be demonstrated
by the results shown in Fig. 5 for the angular velocities
of the attitude control system. The sliding surface vector is
shown in Fig. 6. From Fig. 6, the successful convergence of
the sliding variables can be conrmed and that can also be
veried by (14) and (21). The control input moment of fuzzy

(26)

where is a small constant, and tanh(z) = {(ez ez )/(ez +

ez )}.
Fig. 4

Angular displacements in the body coordinate frame

Fig. 5

Angular velocities in the body coordinate frame

Therefore the matrix B in (17) for the control input

moments can be re-expressed as (see (27))

Simulations

To validate the proposed attitude tracking problem, the fuzzy

sliding-mode attitude controller for a mini-UAV is designed.
To demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the
proposed controller, the veried simulations are given. All
simulation results will be shown in the following contexts.
For simulation the initial conditions of angular
displacements and angular velocities are set as [(0) (0)
(0)]T = [0 0 0]T and [P(0) Q(0) R(0)]T = [0 0
0]T , respectively. Furthermore, the desired values of angular
displacements [0 0 0 ]T = [0.3 0.7 1.2]T and the
time derivatives of the initial current angular displacements
T

[(0)
(0) (0)]
= [0 0 0]T are also given. The

S1 (1 P + 1 tan (Q sin + R cos )) + S1 tanh(5S1 /) + 1 S1 tanh(5S1 /)

S2 2 (Q cos R sin ) + S2 tanh(5S2 /) + 2 S2 tanh(5S2 /)

B=

S3 3 (Q sin + R cos )
+ S3 tanh(5S3 /) + 3 S3 tanh(5S3 /)
cos
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(27)

IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212

doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

www.ietdl.org

Fig. 6

Sliding surface vector of a fuzzy sliding-mode controller

Fig. 9 Upper bound of lumped uncertainty for a fuzzy
sliding-mode controller

Fig. 7

Control input moments of a fuzzy sliding-mode controller

Fig. 10

Real white Gaussian noises of power 1 dBW

white Gaussian noises of power 1 dBW, given in (5)(7), are

shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 8

Control input moments of a sliding-mode controller

sliding-mode controller with fuzzy inference mechanism and

of sliding-mode controller with constant upper bound of
lumped uncertainty i = 0.05, i = 1, 2, 3 are shown in
Figs. 7 and 8, respectively, to demonstrate the practical
effect. From the comparison between Figs. 7 and 8, the
overall stability and control results of the mini-UAV attitude
tracking system for the fuzzy sliding-mode controller with
variable upper bound of lumped uncertainty, which is shown
in Fig. 9 and their amplitudes are dependent on the sliding
variables Si and the derivatives S i , i = 1, 2, 3, are better
than those for the sliding-mode controller with the constant
upper bound. The disturbances d1 , d2 , and d3 , containing real
IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212
doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240

Conclusions

Since the attitude control and system stability are keys

for aviation technology, we address the fuzzy sliding-mode
attitude controller designs of a mini-UAV. For the non-linear
attitude controller design, a fuzzy sliding-mode controller is
investigated in which a simple fuzzy inference mechanism
is used to estimate the upper bound of lumped uncertainty.
We prove the exponential stability in the conditions of
those external disturbances and internal perturbations are
merged together through the aid of the Lyapunov stability
analysis. Extensive simulations have been adopted to verify
the feasibility of the fuzzy sliding-mode attitude controllers.
The system performance and its stability can also be
demonstrated by use of the aforementioned theoretical
derivations and the realistic simulations.

Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank the National Science Council

of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for nancially supporting
this research under Contract No. NSC 98-2221-E-235-008.
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1

5
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7
8

9
10

11
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15

References
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IET Control Theory Appl., 2012, Vol. 6, Iss. 9, pp. 12051212

doi: 10.1049/iet-cta.2011.0240