Control of multiple AUV systems with input saturations using distributed fixed-time consensus fuzzy control

This study proposes a new distributed control method based on an adaptive fuzzy control for multiple collaborative autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to track a desired formation shape within a fixed time. First, a formation control protocol based on a fixed-time backstepping sliding mode control is designed, in which the consensus cooperative tracking errors for each AUV will be formulated. Then, to compensate for the saturated control torques, an adaptive auxiliary variable is introduced. Finally, a fixed-time adaptive fuzzy logic control (FLC) is derived to approximate the unknown dynamics, in which the adaptive laws of the FLC is derived such that the adaptive signals and errors can be convergent within a fixed time. The fixed-time convergence is desired in practice because it provides an exciting property that the global convergence of the whole system is independent with the initial states of the AUVs. The computer simulation results for a consensus formation control of four AUVs show that the proposed formation control can provide higher tracking performance with lower and smoother control efforts.