Abstract: A robust anti-disturbance control scheme for an integrated helicopter system and turbo-shaft engine is proposed. Firstly, a four-loop multi-variable controller of the helicopter and a free turbine rotor speed controller of the turbo-shaft engine are designed separately based on the linear matrix inequality (LMI) robust optimal guaranteed cost control method. Secondly, a new engine rotor speed controller combined with torque active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) compensation is proposed to enhance the disturbance rejection capability of the engine loop while keeping the LMI controller for the integrated system unchanged, and the new control scheme makes full use of the disturbance compensation ability of the ADRC controller. Finally, numerical simulation is developed to verify the proposed control scheme for a hybrid system, and the results show that the new control scheme has better dynamic disturbance rejection ability, which enables the helicopter to exhibit much greater maneuverability than the traditional control system, as shown by the simulation of rapid lifting up and down of the helicopter on the integrated UH-60 helicopter/turbo-shaft engine simulation platform.

Key words: turbo-shaft engine, helicopter, integrated system, linear matrix inequality, robust guaranteed cost and anti-disturbance control, active disturbance rejection control