A MIMO VSS-TYPE SELF-TUNING CONTROL FOR A REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE

A discrete Variable Structure Control (VSC) technique has been applied in the Self-Tuning Control of an underwater vehicle. The dynamic structure of the vehicle is described by a three-dimensional Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) system. Two control algorithms have been applied to the vehicle. First, a 3D minimum variance VSS algorithm has been implemented. Secondly, the connection of the above control algorithm with a MIMO on-line parametric estimator has been considered, extending results shown in (Furuta, 1993). Indications have been derived about the amount of parametric variations this technique is able to tolerate. Performances of the controllers have been tested in simulation.