Model predictive cascade control for resolving actuator saturation in human‐occupied vehicle trajectory tracking.

Summary: A model predictive cascade controller is proposed in this article to resolve the actuator saturation problem of underwater human‐occupied vehicle (HOV) trajectory tracking. For the kinematic model, a grasshopper optimization‐based model predictive control (MPC) is developed to obtain control velocities with small fluctuations in allowable regions. Based on the desired velocities obtained from the improved kinematic control, the HOV dynamic model is used to generate the corresponding torques and forces using sliding mode control. With the control velocities and forces given by the cascade control strategy, the elimination of actuator saturation during the HOV trajectory tracking can be realized. The proposed controller is verified by simulations using a numerical example based on a four degrees of freedom (4‐DOFs) HOV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]