Path Following Control for Autonomous Ship using Model Predictive Control

Surface ships are, generally, underactuated, as they have more degrees of freedom than actuators, which lead to several difficulties in controlling them. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a modern control technique, which seeks to solve some of the problems that arise with classical control techniques by optimizing inputs over a finite period of time. The central goal in this study was implementing a MPC controller for path following, to be tested in a simulator developed by the Numerical Offshore Tank (TPN) of the University of Sao Paulo. With such controller, we achieved a robust and efficient control, capable of adapting to different vessels and environmental conditions. Copyright (C) 2021 The Authors.