A dynamic event-triggered collaborative path-following control method for multiple unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) is proposed, considering the constraints of network bandwidth resources, model uncertainties, and external environmental disturbances.

Specifically, a dynamic variable is introduced to design a dynamic event-triggered mechanism at the cooperation layer, and a dynamic event-triggered path parameter update law is developed to reduce network traffic. Additionally, a path-parameter predictor is designed to estimate the path parameters of neighboring USVs during the communication interval. In the guidance layer, a line-of-sight-based guidance law is proposed. Finally, in the control layer, a super-twisting observer is used to estimate the total disturbances, and a super-twisting dynamic control law is developed based on the estimated disturbances.

Stability and Zeno behavior analyses demonstrate that the closed-loop system is input-to-state stable, and the proposed approach does not exhibit Zeno behavior. Comparative simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic event-triggered cooperative path-following control method for USVs.

The proposed method can achieve cooperative path following while reducing both transient and steady-state network traffic.

Aiming at the area coverage problem of multiple autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), this paper investigates a coverage path planning (CPP) strategy based on an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS).

First, according to the information of sea, land and water depth from ECDIS, an environmental model for the area coverage of ASVs is established based on the grid method. Second, an area division method based on the roulette wheel selection method is proposed to solve the problem of irregular area division in divided areas based on the robots' initial position method, and achieve the reasonable area division of ASVs in the grid map. Finally, a template-based area coverage path planning method is proposed to solve the problem of generating too many turns in paths generated by the spanning tree coverage agorithm.

A human-machine interactive simulation platform for ASVs based on ECDIS is established to verify the effectiveness of the proposed area coverage path planning method based on the roulette wheel method and template method in optimizing the number of turns in the planning path.

The proposed area coverage path planning method for ASVs based on ECDIS can be used to achieve coverage path planning in target mission areas at sea.

This paper addresses the anti-disturbance optimal coverage control of under-actuated autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) in fixed ocean areas.

At the kinematic level, the Voronoi tessellation is carried out based on the locations of adjacent ASVs and environmental density information, and guidance laws for under-actuated ASVs are designed to guide each ASV to the optimal target point. Next, considering model uncertainties and external disturbances due to wind, waves and ocean currents, at the kinetic level, a fixed-time extended state observer (FTESO) is developed and a fixed-time kinetic control law is designed on the basis of the FTESO.

Stability analysis shows that the error of the closed-loop anti-disturbance optimal coverage control system is bounded, and simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

By using the proposed coverage controller, ASVs are able to achieve the optimal coverage of the target area from any initial position.

This paper studies a three-dimensional (3D) cooperative path-following control problem in the process of maritime search and rescue for a heterogeneous unmanned cluster system composed of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs).

First, kinematic models of the UAVs and USVs are established under a fixed coordinate system and body coordinate system. In order to design a 3D path-following controller suitable for motion control, an air coordinate system is established, and the path tracking error models of the UAVs and USVs are established in the Serret-Frenet coordinate system. Next, a 3D line-of-sight (LOS) guidance law is designed at the kinematic level, and a cooperative path-following control method suitable for heterogeneous clusters of marine vehicles is proposed, allowing the UAVs and USVs to track the preset parameterized path. Finally, the stability of the control system is analyzed based on the Lyapunov stability theory.

The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative path-following control method for heterogeneous clusters of marine vehicles.

The results of this study can provide references for maritime search and rescue by using the proposed cooperative path-following control method.

This paper aims to improve the transient control performance of target tracking and guidance for under-actuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) by proposing a target tracking guidance method based on two-dimensional dipolar vector fields.

The angular velocity and forward velocity guidance laws of the USV are designed on the basis of the two-dimensional dipolar vector field principle. Stability analysis is carried out to prove that the control system is bounded and stable. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified through simulation and experiment.

The tracking position is shown to be convergent to the neighborhood near the target. This method not only makes the tracking trajectory smoother and provides better transient control performance, but it also achieves target tracking while maintaining the desired heading.

The proposed method can overcome the limitations of target tracking and guidance methods by eliminating cases in which a steady-state heading cannot be specified.