Robust Sliding Mode Control of a Quadrotor With Disturbance Rejection for Enhanced Stability and Performance

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of quadrotor stabilization and trajectory tracking control using Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and Sliding Mode Control (SMC) with integrated disturbance rejection. The nonlinear dynamics of the quadrotor are formulated using the Newton-Euler approach, accounting for six degrees of freedom. The PID controller is implemented as a baseline, while the SMC is designed for enhanced robustness to model uncertainties and external perturbations, with a disturbance observer for managing time-varying disturbances. A rigorous Lyapunov stability proof ensures global asymptotic stability of the SMC-controlled system. Extensive simulations evaluate both controllers in terms of tracking accuracy, control effort, and robustness to external disturbances. Results show that SMC outperforms PID in dis-turbance rejection, tracking accuracy, and robustness, making it ideal for UAV applications in complex environments.