This paper addresses the problem of platooning control for a fleet of heterogeneous sailboats. Platooning maintains a constant time headway (CTH) between sailboats following a circular path, a complex problem for sailboats due to the influence of wind direction. First, the desired acceleration based on the CTH and the sailboat velocity needed to converge to the platooning is defined. Second, a control of sailboat orientation to manage the sailboat acceleration is proposed. The proposed platooning strategy adapts to the specific characteristics of sailboats, which are different from other motorized marine vehicles. Two tack strategies can be used for the method: the first is to regulate the sailboat velocity; the second is to go front the wind, while staying in a short corridor. Desired acceleration for fulfilling the platooning has been derived and validated. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, with comparison to an optimal receding horizon control algorithm.
This paper develops a geometrical construction of the shortest Dubins path in a discontinuous orientation-restricted environment. The method proposed here builds the shortest path from one pose to the other while avoiding a no-go zone in terms of orientation, and being constrained to move forward. Finally, an application to autonomous sailboats is then provided to validate the feasibility of the planned shortest path in a position keeping scenario.
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