Neural network-based adaptive optimal tracking control for hypersonic morphing aircraft with appointed-time prescribed performance

In this paper, an adaptive optimal attitude tracking controller for hypersonic morphing aircraft with appointed-time prescribed performance is presented. A proper error transformation methodology is developed to ensure the performance constraints are met without knowing initial tracking conditions. Subsequently, an adaptive composite control scheme is devised for the transformed system, comprising a feedforward neuro-backstepping controller and a feedback optimal controller. The former is employed to convert the optimal tracking problem into an equivalent optimal regulation problem, while the latter is constructed using adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) with a single critic network to achieve optimality. A novel weight-tuning law for the critic network is introduced, incorporating a stability indicator and the concurrent learning technique. This approach relaxes the underlying restrictive conditions in ADP, improving the robustness and availability of the system. The stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed using the Lyapunov direct method. Finally, the effectiveness and improved performance of the proposed control scheme are validated through numerical simulations.