Performance Assessment of Adaptive MRAC-PID versus Conventional PID for Height Stabilization of Lippisch-type WIG Vehicles

Wing-in-Ground Effect (WIG) vehicles operating at low altitudes benefit from increased aerodynamic efficiency but require precise control systems to maintain stable flight near surfaces. The Lippisch configuration introduces additional complexity in height stabilization due to its inherent sensitivity to disturbances. WIG vehicles with a Lippisch configuration exhibit distinctive dynamic characteristics due to their operation close to water surfaces, posing challenges for achieving robust and stable height control. Traditionally, Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controllers have been employed in autopilots built on the ArduPilot platform. However, these controllers are typically tuned for specific nominal conditions, revealing limitations when facing dynamic uncertainties and environmental disturbances. This paper presents a comparative analysis between a conventional PID controller and a hybrid approach combining PID with Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC), specifically for altitude control of a Lippisch-type WIG vehicle subjected to wind gust disturbances. The MRAC implementation is based on a stable reference model, enabling real-time adaptive adjustment of PID gains in response to disturbances and variations induced by ground effect. Simulation results, obtained in a MATLAB/Simulink environment integrated with ArduPilot (Mission Planner SITL), demonstrate that the hybrid PID+MRAC controller achieves improvements in tracking error reduction and settling time under wind gust conditions compared to the conventional PID controller. The integration of adaptive elements with traditional PID control contributes to more consistent performance in variable operating scenarios.