Adaptive fault-tolerant trajectory tracking control of twin-propeller non-rudder unmanned surface vehicles

• Published in: Ocean engineering Vol. 285; p. 115294
• Main Authors: Liu, Zhao-Qing, Wang, Yu-Long, Han, Qing-Long
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Fault-tolerant control; Guaranteed transient performance; Trajectory tracking; Unmanned surface vehicles; Trajectory tracking; Fault-tolerant control; Unmanned surface vehicles; Guaranteed transient performance
• ISSN: 0029-8018; 1873-5258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2023.115294

This paper studies the fault-tolerant trajectory tracking control problem of twin-propeller non-rudder unmanned surface vehicles (TPNR USVs) subject to propeller faults. Firstly, a propeller model of TPNR USVs is constructed by decomposing propeller thrusts on the body-fixed reference frame. A propeller fault model is also established by taking into account floating and loss-of-effectiveness faults. Secondly, to ensure tracking errors stay in reasonable ranges, a novel guaranteed transient performance method is proposed. Meanwhile, corresponding error transformation functions are constructed. Thirdly, by utilizing the excellent nonlinearity approximation performance of neural networks (NNs), an adaptive fault-tolerant trajectory tracking control scheme, which can guarantee TPNR USVs track the desired trajectory quickly and accurately even in the event of propeller faults, is proposed. Finally, the fault-tolerant trajectory tracking performance analysis demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed control scheme. •A coherent mechanism among propulsion forces, steering moment, and propeller-generated thrusts of TPNR USVs is developed.•The fault-tolerant trajectory tracking control problem of TPNR USVs is studied for the first time. Corresponding, a novel adaptive fault-tolerant control scheme is designed.•The design of propeller thrusts is proposed, which is more suitable for practical applications than giving only the design of the surge force and yaw moment.