Active Disturbance Rejection Control for a Compound Helicopter During Transitional Period

Compound helicopters exhibit a range of flight modes, which necessitates a transitional period to complete mode transitions. This transition period presents challenges, including manipulation redundancy and external disturbances. To address these issues, we initially develop a flight dynamics model for the compound helicopter. Subsequently, we develop a strategy for manipulating the transitional period by assigning weight coefficients to redundant manipulation mechanisms, taking into account the constraint of manipulation efficiency. Next, we employ the Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) theory to design ADRC controllers. These controllers, along with the module for assigning weight coefficients, form the ADRC control system. Lastly, we construct a simulation model and perform a comprehensive comparative analysis to verify the anti-disturbance capability of the ADRC controllers and assess the feasibility of the manipulation strategy. The simulation results clearly demonstrate that the ARDC controllers effectively track commands without any steady-state error, maintain stable control despite external disturbances, and ensure continuous and smooth changes in control variables within a reasonable range. Consequently, these outcomes validate the feasibility of the manipulation strategy.