Collision avoidance with control barrier function for target tracking of an unmanned underwater vehicle

Abstract

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) move in dynamic environments and need to avoid other non-cooperative obstacles while executing a task, such as tracking a target or a special trajectory. It is a challenge to avoid collisions with moving obstacles in the tracking process. The present paper describes the implementation of horizonplane adaptive cruise control, which follows a given desired trajectory using control Lyapunov functions while satisfying constraints specified by a control barrier function to avoid collision with obstacles. The Lyapunov function is treated as a soft constraint, and the barrier function as hard constraint for the UUV; both are satisfied simultaneously using quadratic programming. Finally, the present paper describes a simulation of avoiding moving obstacles while tracking a target, with the results showing this as effective and feasible.