Leap trajectory tracking control based on sliding mode theory for hypersonic gliding vehicle

The aim of this study was to develop robust tracking control schemes for the 3D leap trajectory of hypersonic gliding vehicles using sliding mode theory. A predictor-corrector guidance method was applied to the generation of the reference trajectory, and drag acceleration was selected as the profile of reference tracking. A combined super-twisting sliding mode controller(CST-SMC) is proposed to decrease the tracking error and guarantee the tracking performance in the presence of system nonlinearities compared to three other common controllers: the linear sliding mode controller(L-SMC), global fast terminal sliding mode controller(GFT-SMC), and super-twisting sliding mode controller(ST-SMC). By using the developed controller, the system state of a second-order drag acceleration tracking error system can approach the global fast terminal sliding manifold in finite time. By using the Lyapunov approach, sufficient conditions are deduced to ensure that the tracking performance is obtained for a closed-loop system. Furthermore, we show that the controller is robust to initial uncertain parameters and other perturbations, as validated by simulation results with appropriate gains.