Multi-Objective COLREGGS-Based Collision Avoidance for Unmanned Marine Vehicles
Abstract
Project Abstract The collaboration that governs the interactions between any two manned vessels has evolved over the centuries into a well-established protocol and codified regulations that establish roles and responsibilities. To date, no protocol or similar regulation has been established for unmanned vessels, or more specifically, for autonomous vessels that are not under command of a human operator. As the expansion of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) into the manned vessel domain continues, a well-established integration plan will need to be developed, codified, tested, and promulgated to the mariners and autonomous designers around the world. With the recent development of manned vessel rule adaptations to the autonomous marine vehicle decision space, a push is being made to incorporate unmanned vessels into the already established realm of manned collision avoidance rules and regulations known as COLREGS. Before this transition can happen, advancements in the ability of USVs to comply and prove compliance with COLREGS are required. Maritime patrols such as the US Coast Guard enforce the Rules within their jurisdiction according to international treaty. Enforcement in areas is often restricted to a human observer who is familiar with the requirements of the Rules and can identify an offender. Maritime patrols would benefit in enforcement operations from a system that could evaluate compliance with COLREGS as well as determine a vessel that is non-compliant or apathetic to the Rules. Of importance to customers of autonomous collision avoidance software is the ability to determine if a package that claims to offer COLREGS-compliant solutions is truly compliant, and if not fully compliant, the degree and frequency of its non-compliance. All ships would benefit from a means to automatically detect if another vessel in the area was non-compliant with the Rules before encountering a potential collision scenario with that vessel. This work proposes (1) methods to further the ability to autonomously control a single USV while balancing multiple mission objectives, including COLREGS alongside mission-specific goals of searching, patrolling or intercepting a contact. (2) It will extend these capabilities to multi-USV scenarios with USVs acting in coordination. (3) It will establish a form of COLREGS compliance metrics that includes both the measure of collisions or near-collisions alongside the measure of mission efficiency. (4) It will also explore edge-case situations where the decision not to follow the COLREGS or bend the COLREGS may be necessary in cases of extreme mission urgency..
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512213
Entities
People
- Henrik Schmidt
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy