Linear vs Nonlinear MPC for Trajectory Tracking Applied to Rotary Wing Micro Aerial Vehicles

Precise trajectory tracking is a crucial property for acpMAV to operate in cluttered environment or under disturbances. In this paper we present a detailed comparison between two state-of-the-art model-based control techniques for acMAV trajectory tracking. A classical acLMPC is presented and compared against a more advanced acNMPC that considers the full system model. In a careful analysis we show the advantages and disadvantages of the two implementations in terms of speed and tracking performance. This is achieved by evaluating hovering performance, step response, and aggressive trajectory tracking under nominal conditions and under external wind disturbances.