Depth control of the INFANTE AUV using gain-scheduled reduced order output feedback

The paper addresses the problem of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) control in the absence of full state information. An application is made to the control of a prototype AUV in the vertical plane. The methodology adopted for controller design is nonlinear gain-scheduling control, whereby a set of linear, dynamic, reduced order output feedback controllers are designed and scheduled on the vehicle's forward speed. The paper summarizes the controller design steps, describes a technique for its practical implementation, and presents experimental results obtained with the INFANTE AUV during tests at sea.