For the complete coverage path planning of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), a new strategy with GBNN algorithm (Glasius Bio-inspired Neural Network) with discrete and centralized programming is proposed. The basic modelling for multi-AUVs complete coverage problem based on grid map and neural network is discussed first. Then, the design for single AUV complete coverage is introduced based on GBNN algorithm which is a new developed tool with small amount of calculation and high efficiency. In order to solve the difficulty of single AUV full coverage task of large water range, the multi-AUV full coverage discrete and centralized programming is proposed based on GBNN algorithm. The simulation experiment is conducted to confirm that through the proposed algorithm, multi-AUVs can plan reasonable and collision-free coverage path and reach full coverage on the same task area with division of labor and cooperation.

An integrated biologically inspired self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm is proposed for task assignment and path planning of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) system in 3-D underwater environments with obstacle avoidance. The algorithm embeds the biologically inspired neural network (BINN) into the SOM neural networks. The task assignment and path planning aim to arrange a team of AUVs to visit all appointed target locations, while assuring obstacle avoidance without speed jump. The SOM neuron network is developed to assign a team of AUVs to achieve multiple target locations in underwater environments. Then, in order to avoid obstacles and speed jump for each AUV that visits the corresponding target location, the BINN is utilized to update weights of the winner of SOM, and achieve AUVs path planning and effective navigation. The effectiveness of the proposed hybrid model is validated by simulation studies.

For the path planning of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in the ocean environment, in addition to the planned path length and safe obstacle avoidance, it is also necessary to pay attention to the impact of ocean currents on the planned path. Therefore, this paper improves the original D* algorithm, and adds the obstacle cost item and the steering angle cost item as constraints on the basis of the original cost function, thus ensuring the navigation safety of the AUV. Considering that ocean currents have a greater impact on the energy consumption of AUVs, this paper establishes a cost model for the impact of ocean currents on AUV energy consumption and applies it to the D* path planning algorithm, so that AUVs can use ocean currents to reduce energy consumption, which can be seen through simulation experiments. The simulation results show that the improvement of the algorithm can plan an optimal energy consumption path.