A Line of Sight Counteraction Navigation Algorithm for Ship Encounter Collision Avoidance

Abstract

A new navigation method, called a Line of Sight Counteraction Navigation (LOSCAN) algorithm has been introduced to aid manoeuvre decision making for collision avoidance based on a two-ship encounter. The LOSCAN algorithm is derived from an extension of the basic principle of traditional missile proportional navigation, recognising that the objective of the latter is target capture rather than target avoidance. The basic concept is to derive an acceleration command so as to increase the misalignment between the ships' relative velocity and the line-of-sight. The algorithm includes a risk assessment and the generation of appropriate navigation commands to manoeuvre own ship free of collision if a risk of collision exists. Numerical examples have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm. The relationship between the distance at the closest point of approach with respect to early warning distance, and with the norm of the acceleration, has also been analysed. In operation, the collision avoidance decision making process is a complicated problem, with its solution subject to ship states, practical dynamic constraints, Collision Avoidance Regulations (COLREGS), encountering ship manoeuvre coordination and human decision making factors. The proposed algorithm provides a consistent manoeuvre signal to aid decision-making. K E Y W O R D S 1. Marine Navigation. 2. COLREGS. 3. Automation. 4. Safety.

A Unified Analytical Framework for Ship Domains

“…Following this concept over the past 30 years, some researchers (Davis, 1980(Davis, , 1982Coldwell, 1983;Zhao, 1993;Zhu, 2001 ;Smierzchalski, 2001 ;Kijima, 2001Kijima, , 2003Pietrzykowski, 2004Pietrzykowski, , 2006Pietrzykowski, , 2008 have also presented various ship domains with different shapes and sizes taking into account different factors affecting the domain parameters. Ship domains play a very important role in risk assessments (Pietrzykowski, 2008 ;Szlapczynski, 2006), collision avoidances (Hwang, 2002;Kao, 2007 ;Wilson, 2003), marine traffic simulations (Lisowski, 2000) and optimal trajectory planning (Smierzchalski, 2000), etc. Statistics show that human errors have caused 80% of marine accidents for which the main reason is inappropriate assessments of the navigational situation and the consequent wrong decisions.…”

Experimental Evaluations on Ship Autonomous Navigation and Collision Avoidance by Intelligent Guidance

“…Furthermore, several studies have been dedicated to the subject of collision avoidance maneuvers based on the following concepts: a clustered group of ships under close-proximity conditions [30]; state, parameter, and action optimization conditions [31]- [34]; safe navigational trajectories/routes selections [35]- [40]; case-based reasoning [41]; intelligent anticollision algorithms [42]; artificial force fields [43], [44]; fuzzy-logic-based systems [45]- [48]; IF-THEN-logic-based systems [49]; neurofuzzy networks [50]; and line of sight counteractions [51]. However, one should note that none of the above literature has presented proper collision avoidance experimental results, which in turn are the main contribution of this study.…”

Cooperative decentralized intersection collision avoidance using Extended Kalman Filtering

“…In addition to motor vehicles, these technologies have been applied to numerous scenarios involving naval ships [34]- [36], airplanes [37]- [39], and robots [40]- [42]. Recent technological advances have made now an opportune time for research in vehicular CCA systems.…”