Finite-time coordination controls for multiple autonomous underwater vehicle systems

Coordination control of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has attracted considerable attention owing to its widespread applications in deep-sea exploration, marine environment monitoring, regional searches, and detector recovery. In addition, finite-time control theory is applied to ensure that the system achieves its control goal as soon as possible. To the authors' knowledge, few studies have systematically summarized the finite-time coordination control of multiple AUV systems. Thus this review aims to systematically and completely introduce the research progress into the coordination control methods for multi-AUV systems and their combination with finite-time theory. The primary areas of focus are the research significance, present state, and prospects of coordination control and finite-time control theory in multiple AUV systems, as well as their applications.