Exploring PID and FOPID Control Methods for Thrust Vectoring in Aerospace Systems-A Beginner’s Guide

This research serves as an extensive resource for undergraduate, postgraduate students and early-career researchers to provide them with detailed insight into the design, modeling, and implementation of control strategies for thrust vectoring rocket systems. The study presents a dynamic model that incorporates real-world complications, including nozzle oscillations, thrust variations, and fluctuating mass moments of inertia, based on a simplified flat-Earth premise. The performance of two control schemes—Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control and Fractional-Order PID (FOPID) control—is assessed and compared using a systematic manner. The tutorial methodically illustrates how FOPID management enhances system stability, adaptability to disturbances, and overall performance, positioning it as a viable alternative for aerospace applications. The study instructs readers on constructing a physical prototype with SolidWorks software and experimentally evaluating the control algorithms. This text offers a fundamental comprehension of robust control approaches, enabling students and researchers with practical abilities to tackle high precision thrust vectoring issues in aerospace systems and space missions.