Distributed observer-based prescribed-time affine formation control for underactuated unmanned surface vessels under...

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Control Systems
• Maritime Autonomy
• Cyber-Physical Systems Security

Background:

• Underactuated unmanned surface vessels (USVs) face control challenges in distributed formations due to environmental disturbances and cyber-physical threats like denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
• Ensuring precise, time-bound maneuvers in the presence of intermittent communication failures and unmodeled dynamics is critical for safe maritime operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a distributed control scheme enabling underactuated USVs to execute prescribed-time maneuvers in affine formations.
• To enhance USV resilience against ocean disturbances, unmodeled dynamics, and periodic DoS attacks.
• To ensure USVs can perform complex maneuvers like translation, shearing, rotation, and scaling under adverse conditions.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a distributed prescribed-time observer (DPTO) for monitoring local time-varying desired states.
• Application of an adaptive prescribed-time local tracking control (APTLTC) strategy for state tracking.
• Theoretical analysis and simulations to validate control scheme effectiveness and robustness.

Main Results:

• The proposed control scheme enables USVs to perform prescribed-time maneuvers accurately, even with intermittent communication failures.
• Demonstrated significant resilience of the USV formation against network disruptions and external disturbances.
• Validated the effectiveness of the DPTO and APTLTC in achieving robust formation control under cyber-physical threats.

Conclusions:

• The developed control framework provides a robust solution for distributed prescribed-time maneuvers of underactuated USVs.
• This research contributes to enhancing the safety and reliability of autonomous maritime operations facing cyber-physical threats.
• The study highlights the potential for advanced control strategies to mitigate risks associated with networked maritime systems.