Three-Dimensional Path Following of an Underactuated AUV Based on Neuro-Adaptive Command Filtered Backstepping Control

Abstract

This paper investigates the problem of path following control of the underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. With the three-dimensional path following error model established based on virtual guidance method, a path following robust control system is proposed using the command filtered backstepping control, neural networks, and adaptive control techniques. Then, a Lyapunov-based stability analysis demonstrates that all the signals are bounded and path following errors ultimately converge to a neighborhood of the origin. Following advantages are highlighted in this paper: 1) the derivative of virtual control is obtained via a second-order filter, which avoids explosion of complexity in the traditional backstepping design, and filters out high frequency measurement noise to keep the control system more robust, and a filtered error compensation loop is developed to guarantee the approximation precision between the virtual control signals and the filtered signals and 2) the presented controller is easily put into practice without any former knowledge of vehicle parameters and external environmental disturbances. Finally, the simulations are conducted, and results illustrate the effectiveness and good robustness of the proposed control system through a new class of flying wing autonomous underwater vehicle.