This paper addresses the issue of the poor collision avoidance effect of underactuated surface vehicles (USVs) during local path tracking. A virtual ship group control method is suggested by using Freiner coordinates and a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm. We track the planned path using the MPC algorithm according to the known vessel state and build a hierarchical weighted cost function to handle the state of the virtual vessel, to ensure that the vessel avoids obstacles while tracking the path. In addition, the control system incorporates an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm to minimize the state estimation error by continuously updating the ship state and providing more accurate state estimation for the system in a timely manner. In order to validate the anti-interference and robustness of the control system, the simulation experiment is carried out with the “Yukun” as the research object by adding the interference of wind and wave of level 6. The outcome shows that the algorithm suggested in this paper can accurately perform the trajectory-tracking task and make collision avoidance decisions under six levels of external interference. Compared with the original MPC algorithm, the improved MPC algorithm reduces the maximum rudder angle output value by 58%, the integral absolute error by 46%, and the root mean square error value by 46%. The improved control algorithm reduces the maximum rudder angle output value by 42% and the maximum rudder angle output value by 10%. The control method provides a new technical choice for trajectory tracking and collision avoidance of USVs in complex marine environments, with a reliable theoretical basis and practical application value.
Song et al. (Fri,) studied this question.