Robust Linear Feedback Control of Attitude for Directional Drilling Tools (13th IFAC Symposium on Automation in Mining, Mineral and Metal Processing)

This paper describes the design of an inclination- and azimuth-hold controller for directional drilling tools typically used in the oil industry. A control input transformation that partially linearizes and decouples the plant dynamics is proposed. A pole-placement method is used to design the controller and an analysis of the stability robustness is performed using the small gain theorem. Results for a transient simulation of the proposed controller are also presented.