Low Cost Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for New Concepts of Coastal Field Studies

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Madureira, L (Author) Other; Sousa, A (Author) Other; João Tasso Sousa (Author) FEUP; Gil Manuel Gonçalves (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Coastal Research

No. SI 39

Pages: 238-242

ISSN: 0749-0208

Publisher: Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc.

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 3 Citations

Scopus - 7 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-QVX

Abstract (EN): The purpose of this paper is to stimulate the development and deployment of networked vehicle systems for coastal field studies over the next decades. The approach used to accomplish this goal was to present current developments in unmanned vehicle systems and in networked vehicle systems before examining future trends and challenges for environmental field studies. Examples of developments from the Underwater Systems and Technologies Laboratory from Porto University illustrate the key points. The Light Autonomous Vehicle (LAUV) developed by Porto University in Portugal is described along with results from operational oceanographic and harbour surveillance missions. The LAUV is a small, low-cost, torpedo shaped vehicle made of composite materials (110 x 15 cm) with one propeller and 3 (or 4) control fins and configurable for multiple operation profiles and sensor configurations. The LAUV is an open system engineered to evolve with the user requirements. The LAUV facilitates the access to the ocean and to the integration of new technologies and user developments. The LAUV system comes with an advanced software tool set, including an Application Programming Interface allowing the user to develop dedicated applications, a publish/subscribe framework supporting multi-vehicle operations with mixed initiative interactions (operator in the planning and control loop) and a command and control framework compliant with interoperability standards. The LAUV has been tested at sea, in harbours and in estuarine environments in Portugal and in the United States.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5