An autonomous surface vehicle, based on a Prindle-19 catamaran and substituting a self-trimming vertical wing for the sail, was developed to demonstrate precision guidance and control. This vehicle, the Atlantis, was demonstrated to track straight line segments to better than 0.3 meters (1 − σ) when already trimmed for sail along the segment, using LQG control based on an identified plant using...

This paper addresses the problem of guidance and control for an Autonomous Surface Craft (ASC). A path following approach is used for steering the vehicle along a predefined path. The presented solution is based on the definition of an error vector that should be driven to zero by the path-following controller. The proposed methodology for controller design assumes a polytopic Linear Parameter ...

This paper presents an optimization of the hull separation, i.e. transverse clearance. The main objective is to identify the feasible speed ranges and find the optimum transverse clearance considering the minimum wave-making resistance. The dimensions and the weight of hardware systems installed in the catamaran structured fuel cell powered USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) were considered as cons...

Achieving persistent autonomy requires unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to be able to deal with a wide variety of complex planning situations. In this paper, we introduce a model-predictive, local trajectory planning algorithm for USVs operating in congested and highly dynamic traffic. The planner generalizes the Velocity Obstacle concept to systems with non-linear dynamics, nonholonomic constr...

When designing large complex vessels, the evaluation of a particular design can be both complicated and time consuming. Designers often resort to the use of concept design models enabling both a reduction in complexity and time for evaluation. Various optimisation methods are then typically used to explore the design space facilitating the selection of optimum or near optimum designs. It is now...

Augmented Reality (AR) is a visualization technique in which computer generated graphics are superimposed over one's view of the real world. This paper reports results of recent studies in which navigation data was superimposed into a ship pilot's field of view, including a system recently instaIIed on the US military s High Speed Catamaran Joint Venture (HSV-Xl). The system displays both navig...