Real-time trajectory tracking of an unmanned aerial vehicle using a self-tuning fuzzy proportional integral derivative controller

In the present study, a desired reference trajectory was autonomously tracked by means of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle with a self-tuning fuzzy proportional integral derivative controller. A proportional integral derivative controller and a fuzzy system tuning gains from proportional integral derivative controller are applied to stabilize the quadrotor, to control the attitude and to track the trajectory. Inputs of fuzzy logical controller consist of the speed required for the distance between the current position of unmanned aerial vehicle and the defined reference point and differences between orientation angles and variance in differences. Outputs of fuzzy logical controller consist of the proportional integral derivative coefficients which produce pitch, roll, yaw and height values. The fuzzy proportional integral derivative control algorithm is real-time applied to the quadrotor in MATLAB/Simulink environment. Based on data from experimental studies, although both classical proportional integral derivative controller and self-tuning fuzzy proportional integral derivative controller have accomplished to track a defined trajectory with the aircraft, the self-tuning fuzzy proportional integral derivative controller has been able to control with less errors than the classical proportional integral derivative controller.