A comparison between structured low-rank approximation and correlation approach for data-driven output tracking

Data-driven control is an alternative to the classical model-based control paradigm. The main idea is that a model of the plant is not explicitly identified prior to designing the control signal. Two recently proposed methods for data-driven control a method based on correlation analysis and a method based on structured matrix low-rank approximation and completion solve identical control problems. The aim of this paper is to compare the methods, both theoretically and via a numerical case study. The main conclusion of the comparison is that there is no universally best method: the two approaches have complementary advantages and disadvantages. Future work will aim to combine the two methods into a more effective unified approach for data-driven output tracking. (C) 2018, IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control) Hosting by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.