Control Algorithm for Oil Spill Tracking Using ASV with Onboard Oil Detecting Sensor

The research presented here focuses on the problem of autonomous oil spill tracking in open waters (marine environment) and collecting the metrological data around the spill location for high accuracy prediction of drifting slick, to deploy the oil collecting equipment along the ocean coast before oil drifts ashore. The paper proposes the use of standard sensors to assist the robotic platform in autonomously tracking of spilled oil in the ocean environment. The paper discuss how to realize the above-mentioned missions by deploying on site robots. An UV/flurometry based optical sensor has been used as an oil detection sensor. A robust algorithm has been designed to extract target heading and target speed from the oil sensor data. The obtained information is utilized to control the rudder angle and sail area to achieve the target speed and target heading to track spilled oil autonomously on the sea surface.