Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles

A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Vehicle Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 22612

Special Issue Editor

Division of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Korea
Interests: vehicle dynamics; dynamical analysis; mechatronics; robust control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Guest Editor is inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Machines on the subject area of “Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles”. Recently, the design of unmanned autonomous vehicles has become a prominent topic of investigation, with a large range of applications such as civil and military activities, agriculture, transport, delivery operations, and surveillance. Typically, unmanned vehicles include autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, robotic vehicles, drones and quadcopters, etc. In addition, there is an increasing amount of interest in expanding the functionality of unmanned vehicles through developing multimodal motions of multi-medium environment vehicles (ground, air, water). Modelling and control techniques are very important for the design and construction of efficient vehicle systems to enhance safety and reliability. Moreover, there have been many emerging techniques for vehicle systems in recent years, such as artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. This Special Issue will deal with novel schemes for the dynamical analysis and control techniques for aerial and underwater vehicle systems. We will discuss the recent advances and future challenges associated with design issues in unmanned vehicles. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are all welcome, on recent theoretical and experimental works. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:

  • Vehicle design;
  • Kinematics and vehicle dynamics;
  • Maneuvering and navigation schemes;
  • Path planning and collision avoidance;
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms;
  • Sensor and actuator systems;
  • Instrumentation and measurements;
  • Trajectory control;
  • Flight dynamics and control;
  • Linear and nonlinear control synthesis;
  • Attitude dynamics and stabilization.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sam-Sang You
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • aerial or underwater vehicles 
  • vehicle dynamics 
  • dynamical analysis 
  • path planning and collision avoidance 
  • navigation with communications 
  • sensors and actuators 
  • controller design 
  • control architectures 
  • failure detection and control 
  • artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 1000 KiB  
Article
Fault Tolerant Control of Quadrotor Based on Sensor Fault Diagnosis and Recovery Information
by Sunan Huang, Fang Liao and Rodney Swee Huat Teo
Machines 2022, 10(11), 1088; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10111088 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1998
Abstract
Drones have been developed for more than two decades. They have become central to the functions of various civil aviation and military services. Commercial usage of drones continues to grow steadily. As the drones have been used widely in different areas, this raises [...] Read more.
Drones have been developed for more than two decades. They have become central to the functions of various civil aviation and military services. Commercial usage of drones continues to grow steadily. As the drones have been used widely in different areas, this raises a safety concern, i.e., all the multi-rotors have an increased risk of motor or sensor faults. This paper considers a fault-tolerant control (FTC) problem against the inertial motion unit (IMU) sensor fault. First, a neural network estimator is built for the purpose of fault diagnosis. Second, a fault detection scheme is designed by comparing the IMU reading with the estimator, where it uses a logic rule to monitor the IMU state. Third, if the IMU sensor is in faulty state, the Euler angle estimator with neural network built is used to recover the IMU information which is fed into the controller designed. Finally, simulation studies are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed FTC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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25 pages, 7687 KiB  
Article
Formation and Change of Unmanned Ground Vehicles under Formation Change Influence Factor
by Tianhao Gong, Jianhui Song and Yang Yu
Machines 2022, 10(10), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10100872 - 28 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1341
Abstract
Traditional formation control methods are widely used in the field of unmanned ground vehicle formation, but they lack mechanisms with which to effectively cope with complex terrains that occur during movement. In order to better improve the adaptation and coping ability of an [...] Read more.
Traditional formation control methods are widely used in the field of unmanned ground vehicle formation, but they lack mechanisms with which to effectively cope with complex terrains that occur during movement. In order to better improve the adaptation and coping ability of an unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) fleet to complex terrains, this paper proposes a formation change influence factor to solve the UGVs formation and formation change problem. First, this paper adopts the leader–follower method with more flexible control to design the formation controller and derives a control law that can make the formation system stable so as to ensure that the fleet maintains the preset formation during movement. After that, this paper combines formation geometry change and dynamic adjustment to build a formation change library. The formation change influence factor is used to drive the fleet to choose the appropriate formation change strategy in the formation change library to ensure the fleet can safely pass the complex terrains. The experimental results show that, compared with the traditional formation method, the UGVs formation and change method using the formation change influence factor can flexibly and efficiently cope with various complex terrains while maintaining stability within the fleet, effectively improving the safety of the UGVs fleet and the possibility of practical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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25 pages, 22819 KiB  
Article
Modeling, System Measurements and Controller Investigation of a Small Battery-Powered Fixed-Wing UAV
by Yue Wang, Hang Zhu, Zeyang Zhao, Cui Zhang and Yubin Lan
Machines 2021, 9(12), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9120333 - 3 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5577
Abstract
In this paper, a complete set of nonlinear modeling and controller design process for a small electric fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is presented. The nonlinear mathematical model and aerodynamic model of the small fixed-wing UAV are derived. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) [...] Read more.
In this paper, a complete set of nonlinear modeling and controller design process for a small electric fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is presented. The nonlinear mathematical model and aerodynamic model of the small fixed-wing UAV are derived. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients of the UAV, and the models of propulsion system components were established through experiments. Since the linearized and decoupled model of the fixed-wing UAV has a large error, a nonlinear model is established based on Simulink, which is utilized to design and verify the control algorithms. Based on the established nonlinear model, a stability controller, path following controller and path management controller of the aircraft are set up. The results indicate that system parameters of the aircraft can be quickly acquired and an efficient and practical model can be established by the methods. In addition, the controller designed and applied in this paper has good performance and small steady-state error, which can meet the basic flight mission requirements, including stability of flight attitude, path following and switching of different waypoints. These modeling and control methods can also be employed in other small battery-powered fixed-wing UAV projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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30 pages, 5151 KiB  
Article
Multi-Domain Informative Coverage Path Planning for a Hybrid Aerial Underwater Vehicle in Dynamic Environments
by Xueyao Liang, Chunhu Liu and Zheng Zeng
Machines 2021, 9(11), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9110278 - 8 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3062
Abstract
Hybrid aerial underwater vehicles (HAUV) are a new frontier for vehicles. They can operate both underwater and aerially, providing enormous potential for a wide range of scientific explorations. Informative path planning is essential to vehicle autonomy. However, covering an entire mission region is [...] Read more.
Hybrid aerial underwater vehicles (HAUV) are a new frontier for vehicles. They can operate both underwater and aerially, providing enormous potential for a wide range of scientific explorations. Informative path planning is essential to vehicle autonomy. However, covering an entire mission region is a challenge to HAUVs because of the possibility of a multidomain environment. This paper presents an informative trajectory planning framework for planning paths and generating trajectories for HAUVs performing multidomain missions in dynamic environments. We introduce the novel heuristic generalized extensive neighborhood search GLNS–k-means algorithm that uses k-means to cluster information into several sets; then through the heuristic GLNS algorithm, it searches the best path for visiting these points, subject to various constraints regarding path budgets and the motion capabilities of the HAUV. With this approach, the HAUV is capable of sampling and focusing on regions of interest. Our method provides a significantly more optimal trajectory (enabling collection of more information) than ant colony optimization (ACO) solutions. Moreover, we introduce an efficient online replanning scheme to adapt the trajectory according to the dynamic obstacles during the mission. The proposed replanning scheme based on KD tree enables significantly shorter computational times than the scapegoat tree methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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26 pages, 5969 KiB  
Article
Target Search Algorithm for AUV Based on Real-Time Perception Maps in Unknown Environment
by Juan Li, Xiaoliang Zhai, Jian Xu and Chengyue Li
Machines 2021, 9(8), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9080147 - 29 Jul 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2592
Abstract
For the problem of AUV target searches in unknown underwater environments, a target search algorithm for AUVs based on a real-time perception map is proposed. Real-time perception maps, including target existence probability maps, uncertainty maps, and pheromone maps and their updating rules, are [...] Read more.
For the problem of AUV target searches in unknown underwater environments, a target search algorithm for AUVs based on a real-time perception map is proposed. Real-time perception maps, including target existence probability maps, uncertainty maps, and pheromone maps and their updating rules, are established. Attraction source maps and search status maps based on the environmental information detected by the AUV are established. The maps are used for the AUV to search for corner areas that are unknown to a high degree and areas with low coverage around the current location. At the same time, a release mechanism for attraction and revisiting pheromones is established by combining a neural excitation network algorithm to make the gradient spread in the pheromone grid map. By setting up a search revenue function based on real-time perception maps, an AUV search decision-making method is established. When the AUV finds a suspected target, the AUV approaches the suspected target. The path planning of the AUV is carried out through an improved artificial potential field method. The short-distance confirmation of the target and obstacle avoidance in the search process are realized. The simulation results show that the algorithm has high search efficiency. Additionally, when the target exists in a corner area, the probability of the AUV to quickly search for the target is fast and feasible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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20 pages, 11010 KiB  
Article
VIAM-USV2000: An Unmanned Surface Vessel with Novel Autonomous Capabilities in Confined Riverine Environments
by Ngoc-Huy Tran, Quang-Ha Pham, Ji-Hyeong Lee and Hyeung-Sik Choi
Machines 2021, 9(7), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9070133 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3060
Abstract
Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) have witnessed an increasing growth in demand for development due to their compactness, mobility and maneuverability, which make them well-suited for environmental monitoring on narrow water in Vietnam in particular and in general at several similar tropical regions. However, [...] Read more.
Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) have witnessed an increasing growth in demand for development due to their compactness, mobility and maneuverability, which make them well-suited for environmental monitoring on narrow water in Vietnam in particular and in general at several similar tropical regions. However, current surface vessels are limited to operation on open water only. In this paper, we design a USV, namely, VIAM-USV2000, equipped with advanced autonomous capabilities to satisfactorily carry out missions in confined riverine environments. More specifically, our prototype is designed to follow a smooth B-Spline path that is self-planned to meet the limiting curvature and avoid static obstacles. Moreover, the vessel is capable of avoiding dynamic obstacles by an advanced Set-based Guidance mechanism. Simulated and experimental results at a local lake prove the effectiveness of the proposed capabilities, thereby paving the way for the extensive deployment of USVs in many real-world applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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14 pages, 3831 KiB  
Article
Stability Analysis of a Fractional-Order High-Speed Supercavitating Vehicle Model with Delay
by Phuc Thinh Doan, Phuc Duc Hong Bui, Mai The Vu, Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh and Shakhawat Hossain
Machines 2021, 9(7), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9070129 - 24 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2855
Abstract
A novel fractional-order model (FOM) of a high-speed super-cavitating vehicle (HSSV) with the nature of memory is proposed and investigated in this paper. This FOM can describe the behavior of the HSSV superior to the integer-order model by the memory effects of fractional-order [...] Read more.
A novel fractional-order model (FOM) of a high-speed super-cavitating vehicle (HSSV) with the nature of memory is proposed and investigated in this paper. This FOM can describe the behavior of the HSSV superior to the integer-order model by the memory effects of fractional-order derivatives. The fractional order plays the role of the advection delay, which is ignored in most of the prior studies. This new model takes into account the effect of advection delay while preserving the nonlinearity of the mathematical equations. It allows the analysis of nonlinear equations describing the vehicle with ease when eliminating the delay term in its equations. By using the fractional order to avoid the approximation of the delay term, the proposed FOM can also preserve the nature of the time delay. The numerical simulations have been carried out to study the behavior of the proposed model through the transient responses and bifurcation diagrams concerning the fractional-order and vehicle speed. The bifurcation diagrams provide useful information for a better control and design of new supper super-cavitating vehicles. The similar behaviors between the proposed model and prior ones validate the FOM while some discrepancies suggest that more appropriate controllers should be designed based on this new model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics and Motion Control of Unmanned Aerial/Underwater Vehicles)
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