An iterative LQR control method for 6-DOF UAV quadcopter under disturbance and payload variation

  • Vo Van An Thu Dau Mot University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Nguyen Van Binh Thu Dau Mot University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Keywords: UAV quadcopter, Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), PID control, Optimal Control, Iterative optimization

Abstract

This paper proposes an optimal control method based on the iterative LQR aimed at enhancing the trajectory tracking accuracy of a 6 DOF quadcopter UAV under external disturbances and varying payloads. The main distinguishing feature of the proposed method is the iterative optimization mechanism of the weighting matrices Q and R through the logarithmic normalization of error metrics, including ITAE, ISE, and RMSE, which automatically adjusts the controller based on the system's actual performance. The effectiveness of the method is evaluated through simulations in MATLAB across various flight trajectories and scenarios, including ideal conditions, disturbances, and combined disturbances with varying payloads. The simulation results show that the iterative LQR method significantly improves control quality compared to traditional PID and LQR controllers, with error reductions ranging from 6.6% to 41.8%, particularly evident in the x and y position axes and the yaw angle ψ. Furthermore, preliminary experimental results on quadcopter UAV hardware show that the proposed iterative LQR algorithm helps improve control quality and enhance flight attitude stability under low wind disturbance and varying payloads. These results demonstrate the adaptability and robustness of the proposed method under the complex operating conditions of UAVs.

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Published
2026-06-30
How to Cite
An, V. V., & Van Binh , N. (2026). An iterative LQR control method for 6-DOF UAV quadcopter under disturbance and payload variation. EMITTER International Journal of Engineering Technology, 14(1), 121-141. https://doi.org/10.24003/emitter.v14i1.1017
Section
Articles