Trajectory Tracking using Sliding Mode Control for Autonomous Surface Vessel

Trajectory-tracking controller using Sliding Mode Control (SMC) approach are derived and applied to control Autonomous Surface Vessel. First, maneuverability performance of catamarans with two different thruster configurations: 1) two rotatable transom thrusters and 2) two fixed transom thrusters accompanying with two bow thrusters, are dynamically simulated with fixed thrusts and evaluated for their turning capability. Second, SMC can yield good trajectory tracking performance only for desired horizontal position, but not for heading angle in the first catamaran configuration because of decoupled transom thrusts, even though undesirable high-bandwidth thrusts is used. On the other hand, tight trajectory tracking for both position and heading angle can be easily achieved with smooth thrusts using SMC with boundary layer in the second catamaran configuration with uncoupled thrusts from transom and bow thrusters.