Underwater Robot Formation Control Based on Leader-Follower Model

Abstract

The multi-robot formation is a key technology for underwater searching and other tasks. This paper aims to use underactuated underwater robots to establish a leader-follower formation model. Firstly, the kinematics and dynamics characteristics of the single AUV are analyzed and the coordinate transformation is introduced to decouple the dynamics of the AUV. Then the leader-follower model is obtained and the linear feedback controller is proposed, and the Lyapunov direct method is applied in the stability analysis. The simulation experimental results show that the formation of two AUVs was controlled effectively by the leader-follower formation model. We also design hardware platform to verify the reliability of the simulation. Moreover, the experimental results of expanding from two AUVs formation to three AUVs formation also prove the applicability of the method for the multi-AUVs system.