Dubins-RRT Path Planning and Heading-Vector Control Guidance for a Uuv Recovery

When a UUV (unmanned underwater vehicle) completes a specific mission, it needs to return to the recovery platform autonomously safely in an unknown environment.So the works of path planning and guidance control for a UUV are indispensable and significant.In this paper, first a smooth and practical Dubins path back to the recovery platform is planned.In particular, the combined Dubins-RRT path (rapidly exploring random tree based on Dubins path) is introduced with densely spread obstacles.Then the UUV is guided along the Dubins-RRT path to the target by heading-vector control.The algorithm is simple and subjects to the kinematics constraints of UUV.The effectiveness of the algorithm is proved by the simulation in real geographical condition.