A navigation and control algorithm for the position tracking of underwater vehicles

In this paper we consider position control of underwater vehicles through inversion of differential kinematics based on uncalibrated, relative to the water, velocity sensors and unknown marine current. An estimation algorithm, based on the above measurements, estimates calibration parameters and marine current, assuring convergence of the estimated velocities to the true quantities. A kinematic control algorithm assures convergence to zero of the position tracking error. An extension of the basic estimation algorithm has been considered, in which position measurements are considered sampled at low rate and randomly spaced in time. Computer simulations are given of the proposed position tracking control of an underactuated underwater vehicle.