Control oriented modeling of a twin thruster autonomous surface vehicle

• Published in: Ocean engineering Vol. 243; p. 110260
• Main Authors: Simetti, Enrico, Indiveri, Giovanni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Autonomous surface vehicles; Identification; Marine robotics; Modeling; Autonomous surface vehicles; Identification; Marine robotics; Modeling
• ISSN: 0029-8018; 1873-5258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.110260

This work investigates and identifies a first principles maneuvering model for a small size robotic twin thruster autonomous surface vessel (ASV) that includes and explains the sources of nonlinearity and asymmetry of this class of robots. With respect to state of the art ASV models, the proposed one accounts for the effects generating a transverse thrust, explaining the asymmetric turning radii. The model also accounts for the need to adapt the hydrodynamic derivatives when the ASV performs large or tight turns. An experimental dataset has been acquired using the ULISSE ASV and it is used to support the proposed model in comparison to the “baseline” one often used in the literature. The improved precision of the proposed model in fitting experimental data is a necessary prerequisite to design model-based motion controller and navigation systems with enhanced performance. •Twin thruster autonomous surface vessel robots exhibit several modeling issues.•Angular drag changes on tight curves w.r.t. straight paths or large curves.•Twin propeller thrusters generate asymmetric port/starboard turning dynamics.•The paper contribution refers to an enhanced lumped parameter model.•The proposed model is experimentally identified and validated.