AUV Docking Experiment and Improvement on Tracking Control Algorithm

Abstract

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle(AUV) docking technology has now extensively attracted the attention of scholars. Additionally, the ability of the vehicle to return precisely to the docking station is critical for data return, battery charging or AUV recovery. This study presents a docking system, including configuration of the AUV and the docking station, based on acoustic positioning technology. The positioning method of USBL acoustic positioning system is described. Then, introduces the path tracking control algorithm for docking, combined with trial data collected in experiments performed at lake, the defect of this tracking algorithm is analysed. For the successful completion of the future sea docking test and dynamic docking test ,an improved tracking control method is designed using PID algorithm whose parameters obey adaptive fuzzy adjustment, the lateral deviation and heading error are taken into consideration to calculate tracking control input. Simulation results demonstrate that this improved tracking control method is able to fulfill the purpose of path tracking.