A hydrodynamic coefficients reckon method and its application to robust heading control for underwater robot

In this paper, a hydrodynamic coefficients reckon method for underwater robot is provided. Based on the reckoned hydrodynamic coefficients, a mathematical model of underwater robot was setup, which is suitable to the heading controller design for the underwater robot. A heading controller for the underwater robot was designed using modern H_∞ control theory, and the H_∞ controller was used to control the heading of the underwater robot in tank tests. The tank tests results shows that the H_∞ controller for the heading control of the underwater robot is effective, and its control precision is high. The controller is robust and it is helpful to rejecting disturbances on the underwater robot.