Designing a Multidimensional Sliding Mode Control System for Quadcopters Under Fault Conditions: Enhanced Fault Tolerance and Robustness

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly quadcopters, have gained widespread popularity across various applications. However, their operation is susceptible to faults, which can compromise stability and performance. This paper introduces a novel Multidimensional Sliding Mode Control (MSMC) strategy for quadcopters, designed to enhance fault tolerance and overall system robustness. The proposed approach incorporates advanced fault detection and isolation algorithms, enabling real-time identification and mitigation of diverse fault scenarios. Extensive simulations and experimental evaluations demonstrate the MSMC strategy's superiority over several existing fault-tolerant control techniques, achieving at least 18.47% higher accuracy in fault damping. Additionally, the sliding mode control system exhibits improved stability characteristics, with a response time reduction of at least 6.45% compared to conventional methods. The robustness and adaptability of the MSMC make it a promising solution for ensuring safe and reliable quadcopter operations under various fault conditions, paving the way for enhanced performance and increased operational safety across a wide range of applications.