Formation control for autonomous marine vehicles

• Author / Creator

  Van Kleeck, Christopher John

• The development, implementation, and testing of a leader-follower based robust nonlinear formation controller is discussed in this thesis. This controller uses sliding mode control on the length and angle between the leader and follower vessels to produce the desired formation. A boat
  model, assuming planar motion (three degrees of freedom), is used as the bases for the controller.
  Open loop testing is performed to determine parameter values to match the simulation model to the physical one and, upon tuning of the controller to match, closed loop testing of the controller with a virtual leader is also
  performed. From these tests it is found that the controller is unstable, thus improvements to the controller, through changes made to the model and to the parameter identification process, are undertaken. Simulations comparing the initial and updated models of the vehicle to open loop data show an improvement in the new model.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Formation control
  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Sliding mode control

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R38D8H

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.