Guest Editorial: Marine Robotics and Control Systems

Abstract

This special issue is devoted to the topic of marine robot’s control, intelligence, and perception. In terms of the mobility platform, a marine robot is challenging due to the restriction of sensing and moving environment, water surface, or underwater. In terms of marine vehicle control, there are many rooms to improve. This special issue deals with the control strategy of a surface vessel and an underwater vehicle. Surface and underwater perception is the key to automate the marine system. Optical vision is strictly limited in underwater and sonar data; few available sensing methods have poor S/N with low resolution. Electromagnetic or electric field-based sensing is very challenging. This special issue provides representative solutions for the sensing and perception in marine sensing. Localization and the multi-agent system are also important issues of marine robots. This issue deals with the precision ASV navigation method and optimal multi-ASV operation strategy. Seabed or underwater objects’ 3D mapping is also a critical application of marine robots. Notably, most papers of this special issue have sea-trial with actual marine robot/vehicle. These studies could provide solid lessons for the marine robot’s study.