Observer Kalman filter identification of an autonomous underwater vehicle

This paper deals with the identification of linear discrete-time multivariable models of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The observer Kalman filter identification (OKID) method is applied with the main objective of evaluating its effectiveness to the experimental identification of the dynamic behaviour of an AUV. After presenting the mathematical background of the OKID algorithm, the proposed method is first validated on the basis of simulated data of both the linearized and nonlinear yaw dynamics of an AUV. Subsequently, the identification algorithm is applied to a set of experimental data. Results suggest that the method can be an efficient tool for the experimental identification of AUV dynamics.