ESR 5 – Enhanced Track Keeping Pilots based on model predictive control of autonomous inland vessels

Host institution: PERI (BE)
Project title/WP: Enhanced Track Keeping Pilots based on model predictive control of autonomous inland vessels (WP2)
Supervisory board: Prof. J. Swevers (KU Leuven, BE), Prof. E.F. Brekke (NTNU, NO), M. Persoons (PERI, BE)
Objectives:

• Define the needs, the dataflows, to be fed to the Track Keeping Pilot in order to make the system smarter and capable of avoiding collision with other ships/objects and avoid grounding
• Interaction and integration with the inland ECDIS systems
• Development of model predictive control for track keeping in scenarios of straight sailing, crossing and docking

Expected Results:

• Specification of interaction between Track Keeping Systems in inland shipping and inland ECDIS
• Definition of data content and data needs in two ways between these systems
• First tests in simulator environment followed by live tests on a normal inland vessel

Planned secondment(s):

• Argonics (DE): Get acquainted with current track pilots and collect data of their performance (M18-20, secondment mentor: A. Lutz)
• KU Leuven (BE): Perform simulation tests and real test on a scale-model vessel of the developed model predictive control (M23-25, secondment mentor: P. Slaets)

Enrolment in the Doctoral degree: KU Leuven (BE)