Path Tracking Control Method and Experiment for Tracked Sprayer

Addressing the issue of complex terrain in hilly and mountainous orchards and the inadequacy of traditional agricultural machinery navigation, this research proposes a path tracking method based on fuzzy control, utilizing a tracked plant protection machine as a platform. By establishing a kinematic model of tracked vehicles using dual coordinate systems (global coordinate system XOY and local coordinate system $\mathrm{X}_{\mathrm{0}} \mathrm{Y}_{\mathrm{0}}$), and combining a dynamic fitting navigation line strategy, a fuzzy controller is designed with lateral deviation (d) and heading deviation ($\theta$) as inputs, and angular velocity ($\omega$) as output to achieve curve tracking performance. Simulation results show that at speeds of $0.5 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$ and $1.0 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$, the system average lateral errors are 0.197 m and 0.421 m, respectively, with standard deviations below 0.36 m, validating the controller’s feasibility in complex terrains. Compared to traditional fuzzy control strategies, the proposed method dynamically adjusts the navigation line, allowing the tracked plant protection machine to effectively handle curves. This research provides a technical reference for precise autonomous navigation of medium to large electric tracked agricultural machinery.