Position and Attitude Control of a Hydrofoiling Boat using a 3-DoF Plant Model and Nonlinear Controllers

The maritime industry is undergoing significant transformation through technological innovations aimed at enhancing efficiency, speed, stability, and environmental sustainability. One such innovation is the hydrofoiling boat, which employs submerged wings (hydrofoils) to lift the hull out of the water, thereby minimizing wave-making and frictional drag. This approach offers advantages over traditional displacement and planing vessels, particularly in terms of energy efficiency and ride quality. However, realizing the full potential of hydrofoiling boats requires sophisticated control systems capable of adjusting foil configurations in response to varying sea states, vessel speeds, and load conditions. Given the high costs and complexity of physical prototyping, a Model-Based Software Design methodology is adopted, enabling virtual simulation and iterative refinement of a vessel model. This thesis explores nonlinear control techniques to achieve hydrofoil-supported flight and identify the most effective methods.