Formation Control and Obstacle Avoidance Algorithm of Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles(AUVs) Based on Potential Function and Behavior Rules

A new control algorithm based on potential function and behavior rules to effectively control the formation of a multiple autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) system under uncertain environment and to make the formation effectively avoid obstacles is presented. Proper potential functions concerning with object, obstacle and the structure of the formation is chosen to design a new distributed control algorithm to make the formation of the multiple AUV system track the target effectively. In order to solve the problem that bigger avoidance radius will be created when the control algorithm based on potential function only is applied, the region of obstacles is properly separated into several parts and the formation control and obstacle avoidance algorithm of multiple AUV system based on potential function and behavior rules for each part of the obstacle region is designed. Numerical simulation proves the validity of the proposed formation control and obstacle avoidance algorithm.