Adaptive Integral Backstepping Control for Blade Pitch Angle Tracking in a Distributed Electric Propulsion Based Cycloidal Rotor

Abstract

Electric propulsion in cycloidal rotor systems has facilitated environmentally sustainable transportation in both marine and aerial applications. However, it remains largely underexplored. To assess its potential benefits, the article explores the implementation of distributed electric propulsion in an unmanned vehicle equipped with cycloidal rotors. This idea is incorporated by integrating electric motors into the cycloidal rotor system as blade actuators, making the system novel compared to existing cycloidal rotor designs. A nonlinear controller, developed using the adaptive integral backstepping technique, is accompanied by a comprehensive stability analysis based on control Lyapunov theory. The cycloidal rotor’s dynamic model addresses the effects of uncertain parameters during controller design, emphasizing the controller’s adaptive capabilities. Adaptation laws are derived to estimate unknown parameters in real time and are seamlessly integrated into the control structure. The resulting control laws are formulated in terms of d- and q-axis voltages. The numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controllers, and the developed model is successfully validated. A comparative evaluation demonstrates a 23% reduction in pitch angle tracking error under parameter uncertainties, compared to the existing nonlinear control approach.