Underwater vehicles: the minimum time problem

Abstract

We consider the minimum time problem for a class of underwater vehicles. We focus on the situation of initial and final configurations at rest satisfying x/sub 0/ /spl ne/ x/sub f/, z/sub 0/ = z/sub f/, /spl Theta//sub 0/ /spl Theta//sub f/ = 0. We supplement our theory with a numerical study of optimal bang-bang and singular solutions and include a discussion on a possible Fuller-like phenomenon.