Tuning rules of conventional and advanced ship autopilot controllers

Abstract

Ship autopilots are divided into conventional, capable of keeping desired course, and advanced which can track the path connecting waypoints on the route. The paper presents tuning rules for PID controller of conventional autopilot and for PI or state-space controller of advanced one. Single design parameters determining closed-loop dynamics are specified for each of them. The rules are implemented in software of autopilot prototype developed jointly with a Dutch company.