Title: Autopilot for a robotic boat based on an open hardware configuration

Authors: Omar Milián Morón; Delvis Garcia Garcia; Yunier Valeriano Medina

Addresses: Automatic Control Department, Central University 'Marta Abreu' of Las Villas, Santa Clara, VC, Cuba ' Automatic Control Department, Central University 'Marta Abreu' of Las Villas, Santa Clara, VC, Cuba ' Automatic Control Department, Central University 'Marta Abreu' of Las Villas, Santa Clara, VC, Cuba

Abstract: This paper presents a hardware and software architecture for the autopilot configuration of the Krick Felix robotic boat. The hardware and software architecture allows obtaining the vehicle mathematical model and implementing the guidance and heading control algorithms. The autopilot is developed using a combination of the Pixhawk controller and the ArduPilot platform. The work summarises the advantages offered by these platforms. The preliminary operational tests to which they have been subjected demonstrate the validity of their use in a marine vehicle. The obtained results from the conducted experimental tests show the autopilot's excellent performance with the proposed changes in the software implementation, particularly in the guidance algorithm.

Keywords: embedded systems; guidance; path planning; trajectory tracking; marine robotics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJES.2021.121086

International Journal of Embedded Systems, 2021 Vol.14 No.6, pp.553 - 562

Received: 06 Oct 2020
Accepted: 01 Apr 2021

Published online: 24 Feb 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article