Issues in the implementation of an indirect adaptive control system

Techniques for addressing the various issues relevant to the implementation of an indirect adaptive control system are presented. The sufficiency of these techniques is demonstrated by implementation onboard a small autonomous underwater vehicle. The control system is organized into two layers: the standard adaptive control algorithms and the supervisory logic. Modeling and implementation issues involved in the design of the basic adaptive control loop are described. The design of supervisory logic to address insufficiency of excitation, identification under low signal-to-noise ratio conditions, and the guarantee of appropriate control actions during periods when the parameter estimates are inaccurate is discussed. Results from in-water demonstrations are presented.<>