Time-delay control scheme for uncertainty compensation in remotely operated vehicles
Thien M. Tran1, Minh-Thien Duong2 and Huynh Quang Duy1
Department of Automatic Control,Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, HCMC University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE),Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam2
Corresponding Author : Thien M. Tran
Recieved : 12-Mar-2025; Revised : 23-Oct-2025; Accepted : 26-Oct-2025
Abstract
The aim of this study is to propose a time-delay control (TDC) approach for application in container recovery using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The ocean environment exhibits highly complex characteristics, including wave disturbances, hydrodynamic effects, wind forces, and other external influences. Consequently, developing a mathematical dynamic model of ROVs and designing an appropriate control system presents several challenges. In addition, the intricate operating conditions and mechanical structure of ROVs often result in inaccuracies when identifying their dynamic parameters. To address these issues, the proposed model-free TDC approach is employed to effectively handle uncertainties, nonlinearities, disturbances, and unpredictable factors. The stability of the TDC is ensured through Hurwitz theory and the stability conditions of Hsia and Gao. For a fair performance comparison, numerical simulations are conducted based on realistic operational stages, including navigation, container approach, and recovery. The results obtained using the proposed TDC method are compared with those of a conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to highlight its feasibility, effectiveness, and stability. Furthermore, evaluation metrics such as root mean squared error (RMSE), integral of time-weighted absolute error (ITAE), and integrated squared voltage (ISV) are computed to assess the error performance and energy consumption of both control strategies. The findings clearly demonstrate the enhanced feasibility of the TDC for practical implementation in ROV-based container recovery operations.
Keywords
Time-delay control (TDC), Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), Nonlinear dynamic systems, Underwater robotics, Stability analysis, Controller performance evaluation.
Cite this article
Tran TM, Duong M, Duy HQ. Time-delay control scheme for uncertainty compensation in remotely operated vehicles.International Journal of Advanced Technology and Engineering Exploration.2025;12(131):1-11
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