Vector-field LOS-based sliding mode path-following control with surge velocity constraints for underactuated surface vehicles under disturbances
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https://doi.org/10.54939/1859-1043.j.mst.FMC.2026.209-218Keywords:
Vector field line-of-sight guidance; Sliding mode control; Underactuated surface vehicles; Low-pass filter.Abstract
This paper presents a constrained vector-field line-of-sight (VFLOS)-based sliding mode path-following control scheme for underactuated surface vessels subject to unknown disturbances. To enforce surge-velocity constraints, a hyperbolic tangent function is incorporated into the VFLOS guidance law, ensuring that the commanded surge velocity remains within predefined bounds. Based on the generated guidance commands, a sliding mode controller is developed to achieve accurate surge-velocity and heading tracking while providing robustness against unknown environmental disturbances. To suppress chattering in the control inputs, a first-order low-pass filter is incorporated at the controller output. Lyapunov stability analysis proves that all closed-loop signals remain bounded and that the path-following errors asymptotically converge to zero while satisfying the prescribed velocity constraints. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves accurate and robust path-following under various disturbance conditions, while the low-pass filter effectively smooths the control inputs with negligible degradation in tracking performance. The proposed approach provides an effective solution for constrained path-following control of underactuated surface vessels operating in uncertain marine environments.
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