Reconfigurable Control of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

This paper explores the applicability of reconfigurable control techniques to an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). The development of a reconfigurable control system for an underwater vehicle is intended to achieve overall reliability, maintainability and safe operation without resorting to excessive component redundancy. The underwater vehicle is modelled as a linear multivariable system controlled by means of a number of hydroplanes, rudders and propellers. Typical mission tasks are considered and different types of faults are taken into account, which regard sensors and or actuators. The efficiency of a number of reconfigurable control strategies are considered and compared with respect to the level of system performance degradation. Such strategies are comprehensive of the following steps: - robust multivariable LQG design - on-line monitoring and fault detection - optimal control reconfiguration