Aircraft pitch control design using LQG controller based on genetic algorithm

Abstract

Designing a robust aircraft control system used to achieve a good tracking performance and stable dynamic behavior against working disturbances problem has attracted attention of control engineers. In this paper, a pitch angle control system for aircraft is designed utilizing liner quadratic Gaussian (LQG) optimal controller technique with a numerical tuning algorithm method in the longitudinal plane through cruising stage. Main design approach of LQG controller includes obtaining best weighting matrices values using trial and error method that consumes effort and takes more time, in addition, there is no guarantees to obtain optimum values for weighting matrices elements. In this research, genetic algorithm (GA) is used to optimize the state and control weighting matrices and determine best values for their elements. The proposed traditional and optimized LQG pitch controller schemes are implemented utilizing Matlab simulation tool and their performance are presented and compared based on transient and steady state performance parameters. The simulation results reveal the ability of the optimized GA_LQG controller to reject the effect of the noises in the aircraft system dynamic and achieve a good and stable tracking performance compared with that of the conventional LQG pitch control system.