Approximate output tracking for nonlinear non‐minimum phase systems with an application to flight control

An unstable zero‐dynamics is a known obstruction to inducing exact asymptotic tracking for an open set of output trajectories with internal stability. This paper proposes a procedure for achieving approximate tracking for a nonlinear system whose linearization possesses real right‐half plane zeros. The method is guaranteed to remove the right‐half plane zeros while the other zeros remain in their previous location; moreover, it provides information on the class of signals for which good approximate tracking can be obtained. With other methods, the right‐half plane zeros are eliminated but the final location of the remaining zeros is not known a priori. The design procedure is illustrated on a trajectory control problem of an aircraft in rapid manoeuvres. Simulations illustrate the computations involved and show that precise lateral and longitudinal manoeuvres can be performed, even in the presence of uncertainties.