Event-triggered-based finite-time cooperative path following control for underactuated multiple marine surface vehicles

This paper develops an event-triggered-based finite-time cooperative path following (CPF) control scheme for underactuated marine surface vehicles (MSVs) with model parameter uncertainties and unknown ocean disturbances. First, a finite-time extended state observer (FTESO) is proposed, in which the FTESO can estimate the velocities and compound disturbances in finite time. Then, the finite-time LOS guidance law based on velocity estimation values is designed to obtain the desired surge velocity and the desired yaw rate. In order to realize the cooperative control of multiple paths in finite time, the cooperative control law for the path variable is designed. In addition, the relative threshold event-triggered control (ETC) mechanism is incorporated into the formation control algorithm, and an event-triggered-based finite-time CPF controller is designed, which not only effectively reduces the update frequency of controller and the mechanical loss of actuator but also improves the control performance of system. Furthermore, by using homogeneous method, Lyapunov theory, and finite-time stability theory, it is proved that under the proposed finite-time CPF control scheme, the formation errors can converge to a small neighborhood around origin in finite time. Finally, numerical simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.