This project is the work I've done during my undergraduate thesis at the University of Calgary. It presents a comprehensive architecture developement for the dynamic modeling, control, and simulation of a Highly Maneuverable Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HM-AUV). Check out my thesis: Advancing the Control for a Highly Maneuverable Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HM-AUV)
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have become increasingly important in various ocean-related applications, and the ability to control the motion of AUVs with high accuracy and reliability is crucial for the success of these applications. The specific three thruster configuration with variable thrust vectoring of the HM-AUV is supposed to enable it to control all six degrees of freedom (6 DOF) and give the vehicle high maneuverability to perform acrobatic motions. While the dynamic model of the HM-AUV considers the hydrodynamic properties and inertial effects to provide an accurate representation of its environment and motion, the PID controller is designed based on the dynamic model and takes into account the thrusters' dynamics, providing independent and time variable orientation for each thruster. The simulation results for logarithmic spiral trajectory demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic model and the PID controller in controlling the AUV's motion, achieving complex trajectories. Overall, this work provides valuable insights into the design and implementation of control strategies for AUVs which can be applied to various applications, contributing to the advancement of ocean-related technologies, and addressing various challenges in underwater exploration, environmental monitoring, and other fields.