Fuzzy-Based Way-Point Tracking Control of Autonomous Marine Vehicles with Input Saturation

This paper designs a nonlinear controller integrating line-of-sight (LOS) algorithm and fuzzy logic technique to address the problem of way-point tracking for an autonomous marine vehicle (AMV) with input saturation. First, in order to achieve complete coverage tracking along a predefined path that consists of successive way-points, the LOS algorithm and Lyapunov-based technique are applied in the kinematics design to make the heading of the AMV align with the path tangent. Second, the nonlinear fuzzy logic technique is adopted to reject model uncertainties resulted by unknown hydrodynamic coefficients and environmental disturbances. Third, the asymptotically incremental control idea guarantees bounded controls and control rates for all control inputs. Finally, numerical simulation results under different postures of an AMV illustrate the satisfactory tracking performance as well as the double boundedness of the designed nonlinear controller for way-point tracking.