Unmanned Surface Vehicle: Yaw Modeling and Identification

In this article, a simplified modeling and system identification procedure for yaw motion of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is presented. Two thrusters that allow for both speed and direction control propel the USV. The outputs of the vehicle under inquiry include parameters that define the mobility of the USV in horizontal plane, such as yaw angle and yaw rate. A linear second order model is first developed, and the unknown coefficients are then determined using data from pool trials. Finally, simulations are carried out to verify the model so that it may be used in a later study to implement various control algorithms.