The robust loop-shaping control methodology is applied in the flight control system design of the Cranfield A3 Observer unmanned, unstable, catapult launched air vehicle. Detailed linear models for the full operational flight envelope of the air vehicle are developed. The nominal and worst-case models are determined using the v-gap metric. The effect of neglecting subsystems such as actuators and/or computation delays on modelling uncertainty is determined using the v-gap metric and shown to be significant. Detailed designs for the longitudinal, lateral, and the combined full dynamics TDF controllers were carried out. The Hanus command signal conditioning technique is also implemented to overcome actuator saturation and windup. The robust control system is then successfully evaluated in the high fidelity 6DOF non-linear simulation to assess its capability of launch stabilization in extreme cross-wind conditions, control effectiveness in climb, and navigation precision through the prescribed 3D flight path in level cruise. Robust performance and stability of the single-point non-scheduled control law is also demonstrated throughout the full operational flight envelope the air vehicle is capable of and for all flight phases and beyond, to severe launch conditions, such as 33knots crosswind and exaggerated CG shifts. The robust TDF control law is finally compared with the classical PMC law where the actual number of variables to be manipulated manually in the design process are shown to be much less, due to the scheduling process elimination, although the size of the final controller was much higher. The robust control law performance superiority is demonstrated in the non-linear simulation for the full flight envelope and in extreme flight conditions.

The robust loop-shaping control methodology is applied in the flight control system design of the Cranfield A3 Observer unmanned, unstable, catapult launched air vehicle. Detailed linear models for the full operational flight envelope of the air vehicle are developed. The nominal and worst-case models are determined using the v-gap metric. The effect of neglecting subsystems such as actuators and/or computation delays on modelling uncertainty is determined using the v-gap metric and shown to be significant. Detailed designs for the longitudinal, lateral, and the combined full dynamics TDF controllers were carried out. The Hanus command signal conditioning technique is also implemented to overcome actuator saturation and windup. The robust control system is then successfully evaluated in the high fidelity 6DOF non-linear simulation to assess its capability of launch stabilization in extreme cross-wind conditions, control effectiveness in climb, and navigation precision through the prescribed 3D flight path in level cruise. Robust performance and stability of the single-point non-scheduled control law is also demonstrated throughout the full operational flight envelope the air vehicle is capable of and for all flight phases and beyond, to severe launch conditions, such as 33knots crosswind and exaggerated CG shifts. The robust TDF control law is finally compared with the classical PMC law where the actual number of variables to be manipulated manually in the design process are shown to be much less, due to the scheduling process elimination, although the size of the final controller was much higher. The robust control law performance superiority is demonstrated in the non-linear simulation for the full flight envelope and in extreme flight conditions.