Finite-Time Trajectory Tracking Control for Uncertain Underactuated Marine Surface Vessels

This paper concerns the finite-time trajectory tracking control problem for an underactuated marine surface vessel (MSV) suffering from the external disturbance and parameter uncertainties. First, the virtual velocity command is proposed based on a novel piecewise function. It will be illustrated that the position tracking error can be stabilized to small regions in finite time once the desired velocity commands are tracked. Then, an adaptive tracking controller is developed such that sway and yaw velocities can converge to the desired ones in finite time. Utilizing the proposed control strategy, global finite-time stability can be ensured for the position and velocity tracking errors even in the presence of external disturbances and parameter uncertainties. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed controller is illustrated by numerical simulation.