Energy-Optimized Path Planning and Tracking Control Method for AUV Based on SOC State Estimation

Effective path planning in complex underwater environments serves as a critical determinant of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUVs) energy efficiency, while simultaneously influencing sensor operational demands and battery state-of-charge (SOC) dynamics. Systematic trajectory tracking emerges as a pivotal methodology for SOC optimization, enabling enhanced energy management through precision navigation control. This paper proposes a path planning and trajectory tracking control framework for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) combined with battery state of charge (SOC) optimization. The framework incorporates the Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (GOA) with the Artificial Potential Field Algorithm (APF) to achieve global path planning and local path optimization while minimizing energy consumption as an objective. Specifically, GOA is used for global path planning. APF further optimizes the path by introducing a SOC optimization strategy, in which high SOC consumption points are regarded as repulsive points and low SOC consumption points are regarded as attractive points. In addition, the trajectory tracking control adopts the model predictive control (MPC) method to ensure the accurate tracking of the planned path and dynamically manage the SOC states. Simulation results show that the proposed framework outperforms traditional methods in obstacle avoidance capability and SOC consumption, effectively improving energy efficiency and trajectory tracking accuracy.