An integrated backstepping and sliding mode tracking control algorithm for unmanned underwater vehicles

In this paper, an integrated backstepping and sliding mode tracking control algorithm is developed for three-dimensional tracking control of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). The proposed control strategy combines with a kinematic controller and dynamic controller together. The kinematic controller integrates a bio-inspired model with the backstepping method while the dynamic controller uses robust sliding mode control. Unlike the traditional backstepping method suffering from the speed jump problem, the application of bio-inspired model can generate smooth and continuous velocity signal even in the large initial errors. Therefore, a smooth control signal can be obtained by dynamic controller without thruster control saturation. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed control strategy are demonstrated through simulations and comparison studies.