Abstract An advanced control framework is presented to solve the challenge of trajectory tracking in underactuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) operating in a formation. Three key innovations are featured: (1) Complex derivative calculations are effectively eliminated by a bio-inspired model approximating virtual longitudinal/lateral velocities; (2) Severe initial control chattering is significantly mitigated by a lateral velocity tracking differentiator (LVTD); (3) These techniques are integrated within a disturbance-observer-compensated dynamic surface sliding mode control (SMC) under a virtual framework. In addition, trajectory tracking errors are defined using desired and actual USV states, while virtual control laws are developed based on nonlinear backstepping. Meanwhile, the bio-inspired model is incorporatedto approximate virtual velocities, avoiding complex differentiation. Subsequently, the LVTD is employed to smooth lateral velocity derivatives. Furthermore, the robustness of the SMC algorithm is ensured by a marine disturbance observer providing real-time observing and compensation for environmental disturbances. Finally, an exponentially stable SMC law is designed and the global uniform stability is rigorously proven via Lyapunov theory. Extensive simulation experiments in different working conditions validate the algorithm’s superior effectiveness, stability, and tracking precision over existing methods, attributable to its core innovations.
Niu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.