An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) flight control system using sliding mode control

The authors discuss ongoing work in the design of an advanced AUV control system. They focus on the application of a nonlinear control technique known as sliding mode control (SMC) to an AUV testbed being developed at Martin Marietta. It is noted that AUVs present challenges in the area of dynamic closed loop control. AUV control systems must be able to robustly control movement of all angles of attack or sideslip, adapt to changing mission payloads and dynamics, and provide a tolerance to control element failures. SMC provides a theoretical framework for the design of controllers that can meet these requirements. The AUV control system has been designed using SMC and is being prepared for at sea testing onboard the Martin Marietta AUV testbed in early 1989