Guidance algorithms for UUVs obstacle avoidance systems

Abstract

To widen the range of application of underwater vehicles both in industrial application and in environmental survey, we need to design powerful robotic systems, exhibiting a maximum degree of autonomy. Ability to construct a reliable representation of the underwater environment, to plan viable trajectories leading to safe mission execution are of prime importance. Sonar is used. In this paper, we present a trajectory planning system which is able to take into account uncertainty about the vehicle's dynamics and nonregular terrain or underwater obstacles. We consider the problem as a differential game against Nature under state constraints. By using results from viability theory and set-valued analysis, we propose a numerical scheme able to compute approximate solution to trajectory planning problems.