Formation Control for Multi-Vehicle Robotic Minesweeeping

Current methods of minefield reconnaissance and clearance operations prove to be tedious, time consuming, expensive, and dangerous. In an effort to find an effective low cost solution, the U.S. Navy is considering using fleets of robotic underwater vehicles equipped with detection sensors and /or magnetic and acoustic minesweeping devices. To ensure maximum sweeping of the minefield, all vehicle movements are coordinated through a supervisor vehicle. Here, a computer simulation was conducted using a lawnmower minesweeping pattern. As the minefield is swept, vehicles are lost to mine detonations and the supervisor re- tasks all remaining vehicles. The algorithm for track control and vehicle reconfiguration was studied and evaluated.Naval Postgraduate School Monterey CA is the author of 'Formation Control for Multi-Vehicle Robotic Minesweeeping', published 2000 under ISBN 9781423536246 and ISBN 142353624X.