Distributed Fixed‐Time Event‐Triggered Fuzzy Adaptive Formation Control for Underactuated USVs With Input Saturation

ABSTRACT In this article, a fixed‐time event‐triggered fuzzy adaptive control strategy is investigated for underactuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) formation. Initially, the underactuated issue is tackled by transforming the mathematical model of USVs. Then, the preset formation is achieved by the leader‐follower approach, and a fixed‐time differentiator is employed to obtain the real‐time differential signals of the virtual control law, which reduces the complexity of the controller design. Fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are employed to approximate model uncertainties and external disturbances, and fixed‐time convergence is obtained. Furthermore, a fixed‐time relative threshold event‐triggered controller is designed based on an asymmetric differentiable saturation function, and an auxiliary saturation system is introduced to attenuate the effect of input saturation. Finally, the boundedness of the signal in the closed‐loop system is proved by the Lyapunov theory. Simulation experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.