Formation Control of Under-Actuated Robotic Boats

Abstract

Feedback control laws for controlling multiple robotic boats in arbitrary formations are proposed. The presented formation control method uses only local sensor-based information. The method of input-output linearization has been used to exponentially stabilize the relative distance and orientation of neighboring boats with a three-degree-of-freedom dynamic model. It is shown that the internal dynamics of the system is also stable. The use of these control laws is demonstrated by computer simulations. These controllers can be utilized to control an arbitrarily large number of robotic boats moving in very general formations.