An Autopilot Based on a Local Control Network Design for an Unmanned Surface Vehicle

Over recent years, a number of marine autopilots designed using linear techniques have underperformed owing to their inability to cope with nonlinear vessel dynamics. To this end, a new design framework for the development of nonlinear autopilots is proposed. Local Control Networks (LCNs) can be used in the design of nonlinear control systems. In this paper, a LCN approach is taken in the design of a nonlinear autopilot for controlling the nonlinear yaw dynamics of an unmanned surface vehicle known as Springer. It is considered the approach is the first of its kind to be used in marine control systems design. Simulation results are presented and the performance of the nonlinear autopilot is compared with that of an existing Springer Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) autopilot using standard system performance criteria. From the results it can be concluded the LCN autopilot out-performed that based on LQG techniques in terms of the selected criteria. Also it provided more energy saving control strategies and would thereby increase operational duration times for the vehicle during real-time missions.

[1]  Thor I. Fossen,et al.  Handbook of Marine Craft Hydrodynamics and Motion Control: Fossen/Handbook of Marine Craft Hydrodynamics and Motion Control , 2011 .

[2]  G. Irwin,et al.  Nonlinear internal model control using local model networks , 1997 .

[3]  Zbigniew Michalewicz,et al.  Genetic Algorithms + Data Structures = Evolution Programs , 1996, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

[4]  Lennart Ljung,et al.  System Identification: Theory for the User , 1987 .

[5]  Robert Sutton,et al.  The design of a navigation, guidance, and control system for an unmanned surface vehicle for environmental monitoring , 2008 .

[6]  M. Blanke,et al.  Manoeuvring and Control of Marine Craft 2000 (MCMC 2000) : a proceedings volume from the 5th IFAC Conference, Aalborg, Denmark, 23-25 August 2000 , 2000 .

[7]  S. N. Sivanandam,et al.  Introduction to genetic algorithms , 2007 .

[8]  Katsuhiko Ogata,et al.  Modern Control Engineering , 1970 .

[9]  Thor I. Fossen,et al.  A survey on Nonlinear Ship Control: from Theory to Practice , 2000 .

[10]  Marco Bibuli,et al.  Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Coastal and Protected Waters Applications: the Charlie Project , 2007 .

[11]  Alex Simpkins,et al.  System Identification: Theory for the User, 2nd Edition (Ljung, L.; 1999) [On the Shelf] , 2012, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.

[12]  Jürgen Majohr,et al.  Navigation and Automatic Control of the Measuring Dolphin (Messin , 2000 .

[13]  N. Minorsky.,et al.  DIRECTIONAL STABILITY OF AUTOMATICALLY STEERED BODIES , 2009 .

[14]  D.W.T. Rippin.  Control of Batch Processes , 1989 .

[15]  T. Holzhẗer,et al.  Operating experience with a high-precision track controller for commercial ships , 1996 .

[16]  Huu-Thanh Nguyen,et al.  An optimal autopilot for ships using a regressive exogenous model , 2004, IEEE International Symposium on Communications and Information Technology, 2004. ISCIT 2004..

[17]  Gene F. Franklin,et al.  Digital control of dynamic systems , 1980 .

[18]  E. Yaz,et al.  Linear optimal control, H2 and H∞ methods, by Jeffrey B. Burl, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Menlo Park, CA, 1999 , 2000 .

[19]  Jeffrey B. Burl,et al.  Linear Optimal Control , 1998 .

[20]  T. Johansen,et al.  Semi-empirical modeling of non-linear dynamic systems through identification of operating regimes and local models , 1995 .

[21]  Shuo Pang,et al.  Development and missions of unmanned surface vehicle , 2010 .

[22]  George W. Irwin,et al.  Nonlinear Internal Model Control using Local Model Networks , 1997 .

[23]  Thor I. Fossen,et al.  Handbook of Marine Craft Hydrodynamics and Motion Control , 2011 .

[24]  Sanjay Sharma,et al.  Genetic algorithms for local model and local controller network design , 2002, Proceedings of the 2002 American Control Conference (IEEE Cat. No.CH37301).

[25]  C. Guedes Soares,et al.  Design of robust steering autopilot for ships , 2006 .

[26]  Sanjay Sharma,et al.  Genetic algorithms for local controller network construction , 2005 .

[27]  George W. Irwin,et al.  Nonlinear Dynamic Matrix Control using Local Models , 1998 .