Advances in robust control methods and application to flying discs

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This project advances linear and nonlinear robust control methods (particularly H-infinity methods) in the following three theoretical directions to produce design paradigms that are easier and less conservative to use in practice: (a) Weight optimisation and synthesis - i.e. techniques that assist in the selection of optimal weighting functions; (b) Analysis and synthesis tools for nonlinear systems with counter-clockwise input-output dynamics and for linear systems with negative imaginary frequency response; and (c) Non-conservative model embedding and corresponding distance metrics.Experimental applicability studies will also be undertaken on powered flight of spinning discs (i.e. powered Frisbee-like flight). Such flying discs are attractive because they can in the future lead to reliable and effective Miniature Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which are important in a vast number of applications, including surveillance, reconnaissance and increased border security. Instrumented test-rigs will be constructed during the course of this project to study the control problems pertaining to powered flight of spinning discs.