REACTIVE SWARM FORMATION CONTROL USING REALISTIC SURFACE VESSEL DYNAMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

摘要

This work focuses on a cooperation and control method for a class ofautonomous surface vessels (ASVs). The baseline controller achievescooperation and vessel convergence to a 2D formation profile in the absence ofenvironmental disturbances such as wind and currents. The focus of this work ison the adaptive formation synthesis, under which the formation profile itself isadjusted to accommodate both mission-related objectives and to enable locallyoptimal environmental disturbance rejection. The individual unit controllers inthis hierarchical approach cooperate to reduce overall environmentally-inducedtracking error on the formation profile while maintaining mission capability.The algorithms and controllers involved do not require vessel motion planningin advance, as the vessel trajectories and the locations of the vessels on the 2Dprofile are reactive and are generated in real time. The ASVs are modeled usingmoderate-fidelity hydrodynamics that nonetheless capture the full range ofnonholonomic effects appropriate for a wide class of ASVs. Efficacy of thetechnique is demonstrated through simulation of a circular/elliptical formationof six vessels in the presence of either wind or current disturbances.