Full Range Autopilot Design for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

Abstract

This paper presents results from an investigation into advanced Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) control functionality to meet mission trajectory requirements. The study's overall aim was to address the multivariable control design strategy across the entire operating envelope for a multi-configured UUV and optimise the transfer between controllers The study has shown that the Hanus bumpless transfer approach can be modified for use in association with linear designs from the H-Infinity loop-shaping approach, and the technique successfully applied to bumpless transfer between different control strategies for a multi-configured UUV. It is also shown that H-Infinity controllers from the normalised coprime factor form can be scheduled using its unique observer structure. In particular this form of gain scheduling is addressed for changing operating point within a selected control strategy.