Automated Controller Design for a Missile Using Convex Optimization

Abstract: The focus of the present master thesis is the automation of an existing controllerdesign for a missile using two aerodynamic actuating systems. The motivation isto evaluate more missile concepts in a shorter period of time.The option used is trimming and linearization of a highly nonlinear missile at specic conditions. According to these conditions, either a two-dimensional operatingpoint grid dened by Mach number and height or three-dimensional operatingpoint grid dened by Mach number, height and angle of attack is generated forthe whole operating range of the missile. The controllers are designed at thesepoints using convex optimization. The convex set denes the pole placement areawhich is constrained by linear matrix inequalities according to the dynamic behaviorof the missile at the operating point conditions. These controllers describea validity area where the missile can be stabilized. This area consists all neighboringoperating points and denes therefore the grid density which can dier atspecic regions of the operating range. Controlling the missile to the target makesit necessary to apply gain-scheduling in order to get the manipulated variable byinterpolation of adjacent operating points. During this blending of the controllersa problem called windup can occur when an actuator is saturated. This mightlead to instability in worst case but can be counteracted by a model-recovery antiwindupnetwork which guarantees stability in the presence of saturation. Thisanti-windup design is automated by an ane linear parameter dependency of thegrid parameters and has the same validity area like the controllers.The whole design was successfully developed and tested in MATLAB/Simulink onmissiles using one or two aerodynamic actuating systems. The controllers have agood performance at small and high acceleration steps and the anti-windup keepsthe missile stable even though the actuators are saturated. Stability and robustnessof the controllers and anti-windup networks was veried as well as an airdefense maneuver where the missile starts at the ground and intercepts a targetat high altitude was successfully simulated for dierent grids and missiles.