Path planning and obstacle avoidance control of UUV based on an enhanced A* algorithm and MPC in dynamic environment

Addressing the challenges of suboptimal path planning and insufficient dynamic obstacle avoidance for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), this paper presents a composite strategy that merges an enhanced A* path planning algorithm with Model Predictive Control (MPC). This dual-faceted approach synthesizes path planning and trajectory tracking control. Firstly, the six-degree-of-freedom kinematic and dynamic model of the UUV is established based on the modeling method of underwater vehicles. Secondly, an enhanced A* algorithm is implemented to generate an optimal reference path for the UUV within a three-dimensional environment. Subsequently, MPC is employed for trajectory tracking control. When encountering unforeseen dynamic obstacles on the reference path, the system initiates a real -time dynamic re-planning process, modifying the trajectory to circumvent obstacles while optimizing the objective function to guarantee the UUV ' s safe passage and accurate arrival at the intended destination. The simulation results prove the efficacy of this integrated method, demonstrating notable enhancements in the UUV ' s capacity for dynamic obstacle avoidance and the execution of real -time path planning.