Research on the maneuverability and path following control of the wave glider with a propeller-rudder system

Abstract

The wave glider (WG) is a pioneering surface autonomous unmanned vehicle driven by wave energy and solar energy, which theoretically has the possibility of unlimited endurance. For the weak maneuverability and underactuated problems of the WG with a rudder system, an 8-DOF mathematical model of the WG with a propeller-rudder system is established in this paper. The performances of the turning ability, course response and course keeping of the WG with the propeller-rudder system and the rudder system are compared through numerical simulation, and the correctness of the mathematical model is verified through sea trial. In the environment of large current speed, a path following system based on predictive line-of-sight (PLOS) is proposed to solve the problem of large cross-track error in the path following performance of the WG with the rudder system. A state predictor is added to traditional LOS algorithm, the look-ahead distance is calculated by the predicted cross-track error and the actual cross-track error, and the desired course and desired course rate output by the PLOS are input to the course controller and the course rate controller, respectively. The simulation and sea trial show that the path following system with the PLOS is feasible and effective.