To read this content please select one of the options below:

A novel method of unmanned surface vehicle autonomous cruise

Shaorong Xie (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Peng Wu (Department of Mechatronic Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Hengli Liu (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Peng Yan (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Xiaomao Li (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Jun Luo (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)
Qingmei Li (College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 18 January 2016

925

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new method for combining global path planning with local path planning, to provide an efficient solution for unmanned surface vehicle (USV) path planning despite the changeable environment. Path planning is the key issue of USV navigation. A lot of research works were done on the global and local path planning. However, little attention was given to combining global path planning with local path planning.

Design/methodology/approach

A search of shortcut Dijkstra algorithm was used to control the USV in the global path planning. When the USV encounters unknown obstacles, it switches to our modified artificial potential field (APF) algorithm for local path planning. The combinatorial method improves the approach of USV path planning in complex environment.

Findings

The method in this paper offers a solution to the issue of path planning in changeable or unchangeable environment, and was confirmed by simulations and experiments. The USV follows the global path based on the search of shortcut Dijkstra algorithm. Both USV achieves obstacle avoidances in the local region based on the modified APF algorithm after obstacle detection. Both the simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the combinatorial path planning method is more efficient in the complex environment.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new path planning method for USV in changeable environment. The proposed method is capable of efficient navigation in changeable and unchangeable environment.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61403245), the Nature Science Foundation of Shanghai (13ZR1454300), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission Project (No.14DZ1110900, 14500500400). The authors would like to thank all of their project partners for their valuable contribution.

Citation

Xie, S., Wu, P., Liu, H., Yan, P., Li, X., Luo, J. and Li, Q. (2016), "A novel method of unmanned surface vehicle autonomous cruise", Industrial Robot, Vol. 43 No. 1, pp. 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-05-2015-0097

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles