Aproximación al control de la fase de vuelo de un dirigible

The aims of this work are the development of a dynamic model for an airship (like Karma and UrAn airships), and the elaboration of a set of base control laws of speed, altitude and heading in cruise flight. The first part of the document presents a mathematical model of the blimp dynamics. The analytic description of the model has been deduced from a dynamic and aerodynamic study. In a first time, the model parameters have been taken from precedent works based on wind tunnel experiments. Next to that, simplified models (called control model) were made with classical techniques. A second part is devoted to the formulation of control strategies (like PID, GPC and Non-lineal), based on the decoupling of the velocity, the longitudinal and lateral dynamics. These different control strategies have been validated by numerous simulation tests. The speed, heading and altitude controllers have been tested in two real airship structures.