Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation

Recent advances in multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have highlighted formation control as a critical challenge for underwater collaborative operations. To address the inherent coupling between formation coordination and individual control in conventional approaches, this paper proposes...

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Main Authors: Jiacheng Chang, Lanyong Zhang, Yifan Tan, Xue Fu, Hongjun Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/6/1146
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author Jiacheng Chang
Lanyong Zhang
Yifan Tan
Xue Fu
Hongjun Yu
author_facet Jiacheng Chang
Lanyong Zhang
Yifan Tan
Xue Fu
Hongjun Yu
author_sort Jiacheng Chang
collection DOAJ
description Recent advances in multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have highlighted formation control as a critical challenge for underwater collaborative operations. To address the inherent coupling between formation coordination and individual control in conventional approaches, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical framework of adaptive fixed-time formation control for multiple underactuated AUVs. This framework decouples AUVs’ formation requirements and individual control challenges into two distinct layers: the Collision-free Formation Trajectories Generation (CFTG) Layer and the Adaptive Trajectories Tracking (ATT) Layer. In the CFTG Layer, a consensus-based controller is developed to generate the desired trajectories for the AUVs to meet the requirements of complex formation tasks. And an improved artificial potential field method is proposed to ensure AUVs can reach the target point when the target is close to obstacles. In the ATT Layer, an auxiliary compensation system is designed to address the issue of input saturation. Furthermore, the adaptive fixed-time controllers are proposed to handle the uncertain parameters in the model, enabling underactuated AUVs to track the desired trajectory precisely. Both layers guarantee fixed-time convergence to increase the convergence speed. Simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and better performance of the proposed method.
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spelling doaj-art-ed6fa81594e24bcdb604a8c075028c712025-08-20T03:16:32ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122025-06-01136114610.3390/jmse13061146Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input SaturationJiacheng Chang0Lanyong Zhang1Yifan Tan2Xue Fu3Hongjun Yu4College of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, ChinaCollege of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, ChinaCollege of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, ChinaCollege of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, ChinaAustralian Centre for Fsield Robotics, The University of Sydney, Shepherd St., Darlington, NSW 2008, AustraliaRecent advances in multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have highlighted formation control as a critical challenge for underwater collaborative operations. To address the inherent coupling between formation coordination and individual control in conventional approaches, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical framework of adaptive fixed-time formation control for multiple underactuated AUVs. This framework decouples AUVs’ formation requirements and individual control challenges into two distinct layers: the Collision-free Formation Trajectories Generation (CFTG) Layer and the Adaptive Trajectories Tracking (ATT) Layer. In the CFTG Layer, a consensus-based controller is developed to generate the desired trajectories for the AUVs to meet the requirements of complex formation tasks. And an improved artificial potential field method is proposed to ensure AUVs can reach the target point when the target is close to obstacles. In the ATT Layer, an auxiliary compensation system is designed to address the issue of input saturation. Furthermore, the adaptive fixed-time controllers are proposed to handle the uncertain parameters in the model, enabling underactuated AUVs to track the desired trajectory precisely. Both layers guarantee fixed-time convergence to increase the convergence speed. Simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and better performance of the proposed method.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/6/1146underactuated AUVsformation controlhierarchical framework designfixed-time controlinput saturation
spellingShingle Jiacheng Chang
Lanyong Zhang
Yifan Tan
Xue Fu
Hongjun Yu
Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
underactuated AUVs
formation control
hierarchical framework design
fixed-time control
input saturation
title Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
title_full Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
title_fullStr Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
title_full_unstemmed Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
title_short Hierarchical Adaptive Fixed-Time Formation Control for Multiple Underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Under Uncertain Disturbances and Input Saturation
title_sort hierarchical adaptive fixed time formation control for multiple underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles under uncertain disturbances and input saturation
topic underactuated AUVs
formation control
hierarchical framework design
fixed-time control
input saturation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/6/1146
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AT lanyongzhang hierarchicaladaptivefixedtimeformationcontrolformultipleunderactuatedautonomousunderwatervehiclesunderuncertaindisturbancesandinputsaturation
AT yifantan hierarchicaladaptivefixedtimeformationcontrolformultipleunderactuatedautonomousunderwatervehiclesunderuncertaindisturbancesandinputsaturation
AT xuefu hierarchicaladaptivefixedtimeformationcontrolformultipleunderactuatedautonomousunderwatervehiclesunderuncertaindisturbancesandinputsaturation
AT hongjunyu hierarchicaladaptivefixedtimeformationcontrolformultipleunderactuatedautonomousunderwatervehiclesunderuncertaindisturbancesandinputsaturation