A Comprehensive Review of Trajectory Tracking Control Technologies for Rotary-Wing UAVs: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have gained widespread attention due to their simple structure, low cost, and broad application potential in fields such as surveying, security monitoring, agriculture, and aerial photography. The design of a stable and reliable trajectory tracking control system is critical to achieving precise and efficient operation in these applications. This paper reviews the trajectory tracking control technologies for rotary-wing UAVs, focusing on four key aspects: UAV dynamics modeling, control strategies, numerical simulation, and hardware experimental platforms. The review examines linear and nonlinear control methods, evaluating their respective strengths and limitations across various operational scenarios. Despite significant advancements, trajectory tracking control faces challenges related to nonlinear dynamics, environmental disturbances, real-time computational demands, and system integration. Addressing these issues requires interdisciplinary approaches spanning control theory, flight dynamics, path planning, and real-time systems. This study provides valuable insights into current research progress and identifies areas for future exploration in the field of rotary-wing UAV trajectory tracking control.