This paper proposes a formation control method for two underactuated unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to follow curved paths in the presence of ocean currents. By uniting a line-of-sight (LOS) guidance law and the null-spacebased behavioral control (NSB) framework, we achieve curved path following of the barycenter, while maintaining the desired vessel formation. The closed-loop dynamics are investigated using cascaded systems theory, and it is shown that the closed-loop system is USGES and UGAS, while the underactuated sway dynamics remains bounded. Both simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the theoretical results.
@article{arxiv.2011.05021,
title = {Formation Path Following Control of Underactuated USVs -- With Proofs},
author = {Å. Eek and K. Y. Pettersen and E. -L. M. Ruud and T. R. Krogstad},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.05021},
year = {2020}
}
Comments
Extended version, submitted to European Control Conference 2021. 17 pages, 6 figures