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@article{kwzh14,
title = {Safe Maritime Autonomous Navigation With COLREGS, Using Velocity Obstacles},
author = {Yoshiaki Kuwata and Michael T. Wolf and Dimitri Zarzhitsky and Terrance L.
Huntsberger},
journal = {Oceanic Engineering, IEEE Journal of},
pages = {110-119},
number = {1},
volume = {39},
month = {Jan},
year = {2014},
abstract = {This paper presents an autonomous motion planning algorithm for unmanned
surface vehicles (USVs) to navigate safely in dynamic, cluttered environments.
The algorithm not only addresses hazard avoidance (HA) for stationary and
moving hazards, but also applies the International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea (known as COLREGS, for COLlision REGulationS). The COLREGS
rules specify, for example, which vessel is responsible for giving way to the
other and to which side of the ``stand-on'' vessel to maneuver. Three primary
COLREGS rules are considered in this paper: crossing, overtaking, and head-on
situations. For autonomous USVs to be safely deployed in environments with
other traffic boats, it is imperative that the USV's navigation algorithm
obeys COLREGS. Furthermore, when other boats disregard their responsibility
under COLREGS, the USV must fall back to its HA algorithms to prevent a
collision. The proposed approach is based on velocity obstacles (VO) method,
which generates a cone-shaped obstacle in the velocity space. Because VOs also
specify on which side of the obstacle the vehicle will pass during the
avoidance maneuver, COLREGS are encoded in the velocity space in a natural
way. Results from several experiments involving up to four vessels are
presented, in what we believe is the first on-water demonstration of
autonomous COLREGS maneuvers without explicit intervehicle communication. We
also show an application of this motion planner to a target trailing task,
where a strategic planner commands USV waypoints based on high-level
objectives, and the local motion planner ensures hazard avoidance and
compliance with COLREGS during a traverse.}}