The modeling and control of depth and pitch of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) using a PID controller

Abstract

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have emerged as a transformative technology in the field of marine exploration, research, and industry. This abstract provides an overview of the key aspects of AUVs, including their design, navigation systems, applications, and recent advancements. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles have evolved into powerful tools that are revolutionizing our understanding of the oceans and their resources. As technology continues to advance, AUVs are poised to play an even more prominent role in scientific research, environmental conservation, and various underwater industries. This abstract offers a glimpse into the exciting world of AUVs and their limitless potential in exploring the mysteries of the deep sea. Underwater vehicles are becoming increasingly important machines in various applications. They are capable of performing complex tasks underwater, such as detecting and mapping pipelines, exploring underwater terrain, and conducting inspections. However, one common challenge faced by these vehicles is the disturbance caused by the rotation of the thruster at the back, which affects their stability. To address this issue, a control system is needed to compensate for the instability. In this project, the primary focus is on designing a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller to control one degree of motion of the underwater vehicle, specifically the pitch motion. The study is based on the REMUS AUV an underwater vehicle. While there are various researches related to motion controllers for underwater vehicles, ranging from conventional PID controllers to advanced adaptive systems, this project is specifically aimed at designing a PID controller . Despite being a well-established controller, the PID controller is chosen for this project because of its satisfactory performance. The mathematical model of the underwater vehicle is developed by deriving the kinematic and dynamic equations of motion. The equations governing pitch and depth motion are solved using a state-space approach to obtain the system's transfer functions. Subsequently, control blocks for the system equipped with the PID controller are designed using MATLAB Simulink software, and simulations of the system are conducted. The obtained response is deemed satisfactory, achieving system stability.