Fault tolerant control based on neural network interval type-2 fuzzy sliding mode controller for octorotor UAV

In this paper, a robust controller for a six degrees of freedom (6 DOF) octorotor helicopter control is proposed in presence of actuator and sensor faults. Neural networks (NN), interval type-2 fuzzy logic control (IT2FLC) approach and sliding mode control (SMC) technique are used to design a controller, named fault tolerant neural network interval type-2 fuzzy sliding mode controller (FTNNIT2FSMC), for each subsystem of the octorotor helicopter. The proposed control scheme allows avoiding difficult modeling, attenuating the chattering effect of the SMC, reducing the number of rules for the fuzzy controller, and guaranteeing the stability and the robustness of the system. The simulation results show that the FTNNIT2FSMC can greatly alleviate the chattering effect, tracking well in presence of actuator and sensor faults.