Formation control of underactuated autonomous surface vessels using redundant manipulator analogs

In this paper, we present a method utilizing redundant manipulator analogs for formation control of underactuated autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) with realistic turning constraints and dynamics. The method used relies on casting the swarm as a single entity and utilizing redundant manipulator techniques to guarantee task-level formation control as well as obstacle avoidance and secondary tasks such as mean position control. The method presented differs from other approaches in that the units herein represent a larger class of ASVs with realistic limitations on vessel motions and that the exact position of each of the units on the formation profile is not specified.