Output feedback control for maneuvering systems using observer backstepping

An output feedback design for maneuvering systems is proposed by using an observer backstepping approach which applies damping terms to counteract disturbances to the controller. By using available exponential observers, stability of the interconnected observer-controller system is obtained. The design is fairly general, and equally applicable for maneuvering systems where an exponentially stable observer is available. As a case study, an output-feedback control design is performed for maneuvering a vessel where only position measurements are available. The resulting design can be viewed as a guidance-navigation-control system for a marine vessel. Simulation of the case study verifies the theoretical results