Optimal Path Planning for AUV Control

Abstract

The focus of this project is on the problem of path planning. The project consists of the following assignments. Given initial and final positions and orientations of an AUV, one needs to find a spatial, feasible path and a spatial/temporal trajectory satisfying these terminal constraints. The path should be optimal in the sense of its distance. Static obstacles must be avoided in the path. For the ideal case of an AUV moving along a path with a given constant surge and zero sway velocity, an optimal path in terms of energy needed to get from the initial to the final positions should be found. In this case also ocean currents should be taken into account. In all these problems optimal paths are to be sought in the class of polynomial or piecewise polynomial functions.