Path planning method for unmanned underwater vehicles eliminating effect of currents based on artificial potential field

• Published in: Journal of navigation Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 955 - 967
• Main Authors: Zhu, Danjie, Yang, Simon X.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Algorithms; Autonomous underwater vehicles; Collision avoidance; Design; Ocean currents; Path planning; Potential fields; Simulation; Underwater vehicles; Unmanned underwater vehicles; Vehicles; artificial potential field; optimal path planning; unmanned underwater vehicles; currents effect
• ISSN: 0373-4633; 1469-7785
• DOI: 10.1017/S0373463321000345

To eliminate the effect of ocean currents for optimal path planning for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in the underwater environment, an intelligent algorithm is designed and proposed in this paper. The algorithm consists of two parts: an artificial potential field-based algorithm that derives the shortest path and avoids collision accidents; and an adjusting function that eliminates the effect of ocean currents. The planning results of the intelligent algorithm are presented in detail, and compared with the conventional algorithm that does not consider the effect of currents. The effectiveness of the optimised path planning method given in this paper is proved.