Comparing the Performance of Quaternion, Rotation Matrix, and Euler Angles Based Attitude PID Controllers for Quadrotors

Attitude states are critical parameters in the control, navigation, and guidance of aerial robotics. Various models, including Euler angles, rotation matrices, and quaternions, are used to represent the orientation of multirotors. The performance of a quadrotor's attitude controller is significantly influenced not only by optimal gain design but also by the structure and strategy of error allocation and control command management. Given the dynamic behavior of the quadrotor, challenges arise with the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller, which, as a Single Input Single Output (SISO) controller, struggles to manage the system's channels independently. This paper presents three attitude control strategies for a quadrotor, focusing on both controller design and state estimation by utilizing three-dimensional spatial rotation models. The aim is to compare and improve quadrotor attitude control strategies by applying diverse criteria through these spatial rotation models. The models are implemented on a 3 Degrees of Freedom (DoF) quadrotor stand. The comparison evaluates tracking error, energy consumption, computational effort, and other key performance metrics.