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Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Hydrobatics: Experiments with an Underactuated AUV
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  • Sriharsha Bhat,
  • Chariklia Panteli,
  • Ivan Stenius,
  • Dimos Dimarogonas
Sriharsha Bhat
Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Chariklia Panteli
Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan
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Ivan Stenius
Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan
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Dimos Dimarogonas
Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan
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Abstract

Hydrobatic Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) can be efficient in range and speed, as well as agile in maneuvering. They can be beneficial in scenarios such as obstacle-avoidance, inspections, docking, and under-ice operations. However, such AUVs are underactuated systems - this means exploiting the system dynamics is key to achieving elegant hydrobatic maneuvers with minimum controls. This paper explores the use of Model Predictive Control (MPC) techniques to control underactuated AUVs in hydrobatic maneuvers and presents new simulation and experimental results with the small and hydrobatic SAM AUV. Simulations are performed using nonlinear MPC (NMPC) on the full AUV system to provide optimal control policies for several hydrobatic maneuvers in Matlab/Simulink. For implementation on AUV hardware in ROS, a linear time varying MPC (LTV-MPC) is derived from the nonlinear model to enable real-time control. In simulations, NMPC and LTV-MPC shows promising results to offer much more efficient control strategies than what can be obtained with PID and LQR based controllers in terms of rise-time, overshoot, steady-state error and robustness. The LTV-MPC shows satisfactory real-time performance in experimental validation. The paper further also demonstrates experimentally that LTV-MPC can be run real-time on the AUV in performing hydrobatic maneouvers.
25 Oct 2022Submitted to Journal of Field Robotics
25 Oct 2022Submission Checks Completed
25 Oct 2022Assigned to Editor
04 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
15 Nov 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
14 Jan 20231st Revision Received
17 Jan 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
17 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
23 Jan 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Apr 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
17 Apr 20232nd Revision Received
17 Apr 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Apr 2023Submission Checks Completed
17 Apr 2023Assigned to Editor
26 Apr 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
31 May 2023Editorial Decision: Accept