On the velocity obstacle based automatic collision avoidance with multiple target ships at sea

To find out solutions to automatic collision avoidance with multiple targets, which would promote ship automation and intelligence, the basic principle of velocity obstacle theory was applied for the own ship to avoid collision with multiple moving or static targets. The principle of ship collision avoidance was analyzed and solution of demanded course for the own ship to navigation with at current to avoid collision was proposed based on velocity obstacle. With kinematics equations of own ship structured by law of response type mathematical model and an increment PID algorithm presented for automatic course control, simulations on ECDIS were executed to test the validation of the proposed model, which indicated it was available for the own ship to avoid collision with both the moving and static targets. The study showed that concept for collision avoidance at circumstance of multiple ships based on velocity obstacle was effective and could provide support for automatic ship collision avoidance system.