ADAPTIVE FEEDBACK LINEARIZATION APPLIED TO STEERING OF SHIPS (REPRINTED FROM PROCEEDINGS 1ST IEEE CONFERENCE CONTROL APPLICATIONS DAYTON OHIO 13-16, SEPTEMBER, 1992)

This paper describes the application of feedback linearization to auto matic steering of ships. The flexibility of the design procedure allow s the autopilot to be optimized for both course-keeping and course-cha nging manoeuvres. Direct adaptive versions of both the course-keeping and turning controller are derived. The advantages of the adaptive con trollers are improved performance and reduced fuel consumption. The ap plication of nonlinear control theory also allows the designer in a sy stematic manner to compensate for nonlinearities in the control design .