An adaptive three-dimensional nonlinear path following method for a fix-wing micro aerial vehicle

This paper describes an adaptive control approach of three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear path following for a fix-wing micro aerial vehicle (MAV) with wind disturbances in complicated terrain. We derive the control laws of course and flight path angle by the constructed Lyapunov function applying vector field theory based on the error equations in the Serret-Frenet frame, which are built by virtue of the relationship between the nonlinear desired trajectory and MAV. The 3D desired trajectory is fitted by using the fifth-order B-splines method through a sequence of waypoints created and sent by the ground station. Furthermore, the control laws are proved to be converged asymptotically and stably based on Lyapunov stability arguments. The results of the flight test experiment show that the flight could perform well under wind disturbances with a good trajectory tracking precision and high flight quality.