UNDERWATER

VEHICLES AND
CONTROL SYSTEMS

Subject =Control Theory​

Batch = 1 Group =5​
Guide=​Prof. Shilpa
Sondkar Group Members -
Adarsh Khare(1)
Tanvi Baraskar(7)
Shrinidhi Deshmane()
Tanay Jain(
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO UNDERWATER VEHICLES AND CONTROL
SYSTEMS

Definitio • Underwater vehicles are unmanned crafts

specifically designed to operate beneath the

n: surface of water.

• These vehicles are utilized for a variety of

Purpose applications, including:

• Scientific research
• Environmental monitoring
: • Inspection and surveying of underwater
infrastructure
CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES IN UNDERWATER
VEHICLES

 Hierarchical Architecture:

 Structure: A layered, top-down system where high-level modules control mission goals and
lower-level modules handle specific tasks (e.g., motor control, sensor input).
 Advantages: Easy to verify performance and stability, well-defined modules.

 Disadvantages: Lack of flexibility, long response time, limited direct sensor-actuator

communication.
 Example: Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) employs a hierarchical architecture to manage
long-duration deep-water missions.
  Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs):
 Characteristics:
 Tethered to a surface support ship via a cable.
 Operated in real-time by human operators.
 Use Cases:
 Ideal for tasks requiring human oversight, such as underwater repairs or
inspections.
TYPES OF  Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs):

UNDERWATER  Characteristics:

VEHICLES  Operate independently based on pre-programmed missions or real-time

data.
 Use Cases:
 Suitable for long-duration data collection missions, such as oceanographic
surveys.
 Hybrid Vehicles:
 Characteristics:
 Combine features of both ROVs and AUVs.
 Can navigate on the surface and perform vertical immersions.
 Use Cases:
 Offer flexibility for various mission types, including environmental
monitoring and scientific research.
CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES IN UNDERWATER
VEHICLES

 Heterarchical Architecture:

 Structure: Modules operate in parallel with no supervision, allowing direct communication

between components.
 Advantages: Flexibility, low communication overhead, suitable for parallel processing.

 Disadvantages: Controllability becomes complex without supervision, and inter-module

communication can be intensive.
 Example: Omni-Directional Intelligent Navigator (ODIN) employs a mix of heterarchical and
hierarchical control.
CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES IN UNDERWATER
VEHICLES

 Subsumption Architecture:

 Structure: Behaviors work in parallel without high-level supervision. Higher-level behaviors can
suppress lower-level ones based on sensor inputs.
 Advantages: Dynamic and reactive, low computational overhead.

 Disadvantages: Difficult synchronization, increased complexity with more behaviors.

 Example: Odyssey II from MIT uses a subsumption-based architecture for layered control.
CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES IN UNDERWATER
VEHICLES

 Hybrid Architecture:
 Structure: Combines hierarchical, heterarchical, and subsumption architectures, with mission-level
functionality at the top and hardware-level control using subsumption or heterarchical systems.
 Advantages: Flexibility at lower levels, maintaining hierarchical advantages for overall control.

 Disadvantages: Formal verification remains challenging due to complexity.

 Example: Phoenix AUV from the Naval Postgraduate School uses a hybrid architecture for real-time
mission control.
 Key elements include:
 1. Depth control systems
• CONTROL
SYSTEM  2. Navigation systems (gyroscope, GPS)

ELEMENTS IN  3. Stability control mechanisms

SUBMARINE  4. Actuators and sensors

 5. Communication and monitoring tools.

 The design process of submarine control systems
involves:
OVERVIEW OF  1. Defining system specifications
CONTROL  2. Designing transfer functions to model behavior
SYSTEM DESIGN  3. Robust control techniques (Bode and Nyquist plots)
PROCESS
 4. System validation and testing under simulated
environments.
MOTOR CONTROLLERS

A motor controller is a device or group of devices that can coordinate in a predetermined

manner the performance of an electric motor.

A motor controller might include a manual or automatic means for starting and stopping the
motor, selecting forward or reverse rotation, selecting and regulating the speed, regulating
or limiting the torque, and protecting against overloads and electrical faults.

Motor controllers may use electromechanical switching, or may use power electronics
devices to regulate the speed and direction of a motor.
MOTOR  Motor controllers in Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
(UUVs) are crucial for managing the propulsion and
CONTROLLER maneuvering systems. These controllers which can
include thrusters and actuators.
IN  UUVs typically use DC motors, brushless DC motors, or
stepper motors
UNMANNED  Advanced control algorithms, such as PID (Proportional-

UNDERWATE Integral-Derivative) controllers are used to manage motor

operations.

R VEHICLES  Motor controllers often include features to optimize power

consumption and extend battery life.
(UUV)  Motor controllers work in conjunction with navigation
systems to ensure the UUV follows the desired path.
  Motor controllers are crucial components in
remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), as they

MOTOR manage the power and control of the motors

that drive the vehicle’s thrusters and other

CONTROLLER moving parts.

 ROVs typically use brushless DC motors or
IN REMOTLY thrusters for propulsion.

OPERATED  Motor controllers in ROVs often use advanced

control systems like PID (Proportional-Integral-
VEHICLES Derivative) controllers.
 The motor controllers manage the distribution
(ROV) of electrical power to the motors
 Since radio waves do not travel well
underwater, ROVs are typically tethered to a
surface vessel.
MOTOR CONTROLLER IN AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER
VEHICLE (AUV)

 Motor controllers in Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are crucial for managing the
propulsion and maneuvering systems
 Propeller Thrusters: These are driven by electric motors and are the most common type of
actuator in AUVs. They provide the necessary thrust for movement and are controlled by motor
controllers that regulate speed and direction.
 These include rudders and fins, which are used to steer the AUV. Motor controllers adjust the
position of these surfaces to control the vehicle’s orientation and direction1.
 These systems adjust the buoyancy of the AUV to control its depth. Motor controllers manage
the pumps and valves that change the buoyancy1.control.
 Motor controllers precisely position these masses to achieve the desired balance
  BASIC FUNCTIONALITY:
 A PID CONTROLLER IS USED TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED SETPOINTS (LIKE
DEPTH, SPEED, OR DIRECTION) BY CONTINUOUSLY ADJUSTING THRUSTER
OUTPUTS.
 IT WORKS BY CALCULATING THE DIFFERENCE (ERROR) BETWEEN THE
DESIRED STATE AND THE CURRENT STATE (FEEDBACK).
PID  CONTROL MECHANISM:
CONTROLLER  PROPORTIONAL (P): ADJUSTS THRUSTER POWER BASED ON THE CURRENT
ERROR.
(PROPORTIONA  INTEGRAL (I): ELIMINATES LONG-TERM ERRORS BY ACCOUNTING FOR PAST

L-INTEGRAL- 
DEVIATIONS.
DERIVATIVE (D): PREDICTS FUTURE ERRORS BY ASSESSING THE RATE OF
DERIVATIVE): CHANGE.
 REAL-TIME FEEDBACK:
 CONTINUOUSLY ADJUSTS MOTOR OUTPUT IN REAL TIME, ENSURING THAT THE
AUV REMAINS ON COURSE DESPITE ENVIRONMENTAL DISTURBANCES (SUCH
AS OCEAN CURRENTS OR WAVES).
 APPLICATION IN AUVS:
 USED IN MAINTAINING THE DEPTH, ROLL, PITCH, AND YAW STABILITY OF THE
AUV BY CONTROLLING THE PROPULSION THRUSTERS EFFICIENTLY.
PID FORMULA (CONTINUOUS TIME
DOMAIN):
 The general PID control formula is:

 PID Controller Transfer Function: In the Laplace domain, the PID controller is represented as:
  Propulsion and Maneuvering:
 Electric Thrusters provide the necessary force for movement and steering, using
efficient electric motors to drive propeller blades.
 They allow precise control of the AUV's speed and direction, critical for tasks like
navigation and stability.

PROPELLER  Multi-Directional Control:

 Thrusters can be placed in different positions and angles to enable control over all
THRUSTERS degrees of freedom (forward/backward, up/down, and lateral movement).

WITH
 Electric motors are used to regulate the speed of each propeller, allowing smooth
transitions between movements.

ELECTRIC  Energy Efficiency:

 Electric motors are energy-efficient, maximizing battery life and extending the
MOTORS: operational range of the AUV.
 They are also highly responsive, enabling quick adjustments in real time to adapt to
environmental changes.
 Quiet and Low Maintenance:
 Compared to combustion engines, electric motors produce less noise, which is
crucial for underwater applications where stealth and acoustic signatures are
important.
 Electric thrusters require less maintenance, improving reliability in long-duration
missions.
PROPELLER THRUSTER AND ELECTRIC MOTOR TRANSFER
FUNCTION

 Motor Dynamics: Electric motors, which drive the propeller thrusters, can be modeled by a
first-order system. The general form of the transfer function for a DC motor is:

 Propeller Thrust: The thrust generated by a propeller is proportional to the square of the
angular velocity of the propeller. The thrust equation is:
 Precision and Maneuverability
IMPORTANCE
OF MOTOR
CONTROLLER Energy Efficiency
IN
UNDERWATER
VEHICLES Improve the motion control accuracy and motion stability

Task-Specific Functions
FUTURE  Advances in AI and autonomy
 New materials for deeper exploration
TRENDS IN  Swarm robotics for coordinated missions
UNDERWATER  Improved battery technology
VEHICLES