Development of a safety-enhanced motion control system for unmanned surface vehicles

• Main Author: Yan, Zhenqi
• Other Authors: Chen I-Ming
• Format: Thesis-Master by Coursework
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2025
• Subjects: Engineering; Motion control; Unmanned surface vehicles; Emergency stop
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182638
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This dissertation presents the development of a safety-enhanced motion control system for autonomous surface vehicles (USVs) in response to the challenges posed by the RobotX Challenge. A modular and scalable framework integrating hardware and software systems was designed to ensure safe and efficient USV operations. The work begins with an analysis of the RobotX Challenge tasks and a review of USV designs from other teams, providing insights into existing solutions. The system is divided into several key subsystems including a power supply system, an emergency stop (E-stop) system, a communication system, a propulsion system, and a motion control system. The power supply system was designed to meet the energy demands of onboard devices, while the E-stop system integrated physical and remote control mechanisms to ensure operational safety. The communication system established seamless interaction between the remote controller, Arduino, and PC, leveraging RC and serial protocols. The propulsion system is then configured based on the task requirements, and the propellers are controlled with dedicated algorithms. The motion control system incorporates mathematical modeling for force analysis, thrust allocation, and the implementation of both manual and autonomous control loops. Finally, Arduino code and Python script are integrated to form a software framework, enabling seamless interaction between hardware and software components. This research offers a foundational framework for developing the motion control system in autonomous maritime systems, contributing to both academic and practical advancements in USV technology.