Showing papers on "Intervention AUV published in 2022"

Directions of Development of the Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicles. A Review

Abstract: Abstract In the paper review of unmanned underwater vehicle (AUV) is presented. The description of main systems is depicted with focus on autonomous single vehicle as well as a swarm. As a consequence of development of AUV technology, research centers are focused on issues related to increasing the degree of their autonomy. Nowadays, mostly navigation and communication as well as high-efficient propeller systems are being developed. There are problems linking this issues. Their solutions includes development of new control laws containing algorithms to prevent collisions - for unmanned vehicles with elements of the underwater environment and for several underwater vehicles cooperating with each other in a swarm.

Comprehensive study of current trend of the remotely operated vehicle for underwater systems

Abstract: This paper aim to provide a basic fundamental knowledge for researchers on underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system and current trend of ROV controller. The vehicle is used for exploration, investigation or inspection of underwater environment as a replacement of human due to human limitation. It can dive deeper than human and can be manoeuvred into hazard environment. In this paper, the basic development and classification of ROV is discussed. The modelling of ROV, manoeuvrability and controller designed by researchers since 1990 also being discussed. It is expected that this paper will help readers in doing research on the controller of ROV.

Acoustical Underwater Localization of a Remotely Operated Vehicle in Mariculture

Abstract: Localization of underwater vehicles, namely remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), used in mariculture autonomous inspection applications represents a challenging problem. The need for accurate localization of an ROV is further emphasized by often cluttered underwater environment of fisheries with many ropes and mooring around the net pens potentially causing entanglement with ROV’s tether. This paper presents an overview and preliminary results of the HEKTOR (Heterogeneous Autonomous Robotic System in Viticulture and Mariculture) project regarding the ROV localization using acoustics mounted onto an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV). The ROV and the developed ASV are described, together with the hardware and software integration of a short baseline acoustic localization system . Preliminary sea trial results show promising performance of the localization system, proving that it could be used in autonomous net pen inspection missions.

Applications for Autonomous Control of Multiple AUVs Toward Deep-Sea Resource Explorations

Abstract: This study tested autonomous control of multiple AUVs using two hovering AUVs at a depth of 80 to 90 m water area in Lake Biwa by implementing AUV-AUV communication and AUV-AUV positioning. The tests were successfully conducted with two AUVs navigating autonomously in 1) formation, 2) holding both ends of the horizontal cable, and 3) approaching an underwater acoustic lighthouse, while minimizing information and commands from the mother vessel.

Autonomous Recovery of Underway AUV on the Water Surface in Heavy Seas

Abstract: This paper proposes a robotic recovery approach to recover an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) at sea on from the aft deck of an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV). A high-fidelity simulation of an USV recovering a surfaced AUV with a robotic manipulator was created as a testbed to develop and test the control systems and algorithms used for the manipulator end-effector to track the surfaced AUV. The manipulator was able to sufficiently track the AUV in head, beam and bow seas for sea states 3 and 5. Head seas, as expected, showed the best tracking performance, and is the usual for recovery.

Development and Control of an Autonomous Reconfigurable Underwater Vehicle

Abstract: Since the development of the first Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), the demanded tasks for subsea operations have become more and more challenging as, for instance, intervention, maintenance and repair of seabed installations, in addition to surveys. As a result, the development of Autonomous Underwater Reconfigurable Vehicles (AURVs) with the capability of interacting with the surrounding environment and autonomously changing their configuration, according to the task at hand, can represent a real breakthrough in underwater system technologies. Driven by these considerations, an innovative AURV has been developed by the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Florence (DIEF), Italy, capable of efficiently reconfiguring its shape according to the task at hand. In particular, the RUVIFIST (Reconfigurable Underwater Vehicle for Inspection, Free-floating Intervention and Survey Tasks) vehicle has been provided with two extreme configurations: a slender (“survey”) configuration for long navigation tasks, and a stocky (“hovering”) configuration designed for challenging goals as intervention operations. In particular, an accurate description of the overall vehicle is currently provided in this work, along with several preliminary tests.

A SMACC based mission control system for autonomous underwater vehicles

Abstract: Scientific and environmental focused deep sea exploration is being expanded and as such a new class of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capable of accessing deep underwater sea bed environment for long periods of time is being deployed. This type of vehicle and the mission environment poses challenges to the mission development as these operations contain many systems that must work together to ensure that the mission requirements are met and that the vehicle is operated safely. As such, a solution based on the SMACC library for Robotic Operating System (ROS) was proposed and tested using a simulator. The results shown were based on the simulation of three missions representative of different scenarios for a deep sea exploration AUV and they were evaluated on the completion of the mission plan.

Design and Modeling of a Low-Cost Observation Class ROV for Dam Inspection

Abstract: Underwater vehicles are of great interest in seabed inspection tasks, nevertheless dams, which required complete emptying to inspect their walls, or else call a professional diver which is of great risk to its life given the marine currents existing below. As a result, designing an underwater vehicle (ROV/AUV: Remotely Operated Vehicle/Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) for the inspection and exploration of seabed and dams can replace the human being in this task and avoid emptying for maintenance work. In this article we will present a design of a low-cost ROV for observation based on the various existing underwater robots. A modeling part and numerical calculation approach for determining the differents coefficients are presented at the end.

The Integration of Remotely Operated Vehicles ROVS and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles AUVS Using Subsea Wireless Communication

Abstract: The proposed technology provides subsea autonomous solutions using artificial intelligence and communication software. These integrate wirelessly between Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). This is a significant improvement on the current pre-programmed mode of AUVs and the subsea communications and operation of autonomous robotics. Furthermore, the technology allows underwater wireless communication between autonomous subsea robotics and introduces new operational opportunities using simultaneous multi-robotic subsea arrays. Underwater vehicles are used for a wide variety of operations that include – but are not limited to inspection/identification, oceanography, survey missions or samples picking. Underwater vehicles may be manned or unmanned. Among the unmanned vehicles, there are ROVs and AUVs. An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is a robot that travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes the mentioned non-autonomous Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles (ROVs) – controlled and powered from the surface by an operator/pilot via an umbilical or using remote control. ROVs are unmanned underwater vehicles connected to a base station, which may be a ship. As mentioned ROVs are connected to the ship by means of cables; this implies that the maximum achievable distance between the ROV and the base station is limited by the length of the cable. AUVs are unmanned underwater vehicles, which are connected to a docking station by means of a wireless communication. Typically, AUVs are propelled through the energy stored in batteries housed in their body. This means that the operative range of an AUV is limited by the capacity of the battery. This type of underwater vehicles has recently become an attractive alternative for underwater search and exploration since they are cheaper than manned vehicles. Over the past years, there have been abundant attempts to develop underwater vehicles to meet the challenge of exploration and extraction programs in the oceans. Recently, researchers have focused on the development of AUVs for long-term data collection in oceanography and coastal management. The oil and gas industry uses AUVs to make detailed maps of the seafloor before they start building subsea infrastructure; pipelines and sub-sea completions can be installed in the most cost effective manner with minimum disruption to the environment. In addition, post-lay pipe surveys are now possible, which includes pipeline inspection. The use of AUVs for pipeline inspection and inspection of underwater man-made structures is becoming more common. With the adoption of AUV technology becoming more widespread, the limitations of the 5 technology are being explored and addressed. The average AUV charge lasts about 24- hours on an underwater AUV, but sometimes it is necessary to deploy them for the kinds of several day missions that some unmanned systems are equipped to undertake. Like most robots, the unmanned mechanisms contain batteries that require regular recharging. Docking stations that communicate directly with underwater vehicles, guiding them to where they can recharge and transfer data have been developed. Any data the AUV has gathered, such as images of the seabed, could be uploaded to the docking station and transmitted to home base, which could direct new instructions to the robot any underwater vehicle requiring the need of a wireless communication with the docking station faces at least the problem of the limitations for wireless communications in water

Analysis of the Operating Modes of the Hybrid Underwater Robotic System

Abstract: In the modern world, performing oceanological research and underwater technological operations is impossible without using autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles. However, each of these types of vehicles has disadvantages limiting their application and allowing only narrow-profile tasks to be performed. To solve this problem, it is proposed to use a hybrid underwater robotic complex consisting of an autonomous and remote-controlled vehicles connected with a cable. The functionality of the proposed hybrid complex is determined. The results of the analysis of the mathematical models of hybrid complex operation in the modes of joint movement and towing are presented. Due to the restrictions imposed on the remotely controlled underwater vehicle and the cable between the vehicles, the speed of the hybrid underwater robotic complex is about 1 m/s in the joint motion mode and about 2 m/s in the towing mode. It is recommended to tow a remote-controlled underwater vehicle on a short cable length when the autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle is submerged. In addition, it is necessary to adjust the cable length between the devices.

Implementation of the AQUALUNG: A new form of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Abstract: The paper presents design and implementation of a multitasking autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) named “Aqualung.” The motivation of this project is to construct the AUV which is going to be participated in the SAUVC-2022 competition. The conventional autonomous underwater vehicles are highly expensive (up to 10 thousand USD) and have complex mechanisms whereas the construction cost of the proposed AUV is under ${\$}$ 300 USD with a simple structure. DC gear motors are used in this vehicle to drive the propeller, a pressure sensor is used to convert air pressure to calculate pressure underwater, advanced image processing technology is used that has increased the proper geo mapping process and identifying any particular object under water. A grabber can be attached with its body to grab a particular thing for carrying an object. Use of lightweight materials in Aqualung AUV results in weight reduction and enables the device to consume less amount of energy. The proposed AUV exhibits excellent features which are presented in the result section.

Navigation of Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle

Abstract: Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are underwaterrobots that are commanded from the surface by a person. This robot is made up of embedded systems and mechanical systems, and it is connected to the outside world via a series ofload-bearing umbilical cables that hold power, data, and communication cables. For the ROV, data transfer as well ascontrol signals are required. The navigation team was made up of working on the ROV's navigation system. It has a video camera and a ballast system for balance, movement propulsion system pumps, and IMU to locate the position of a vehicle microcontrollers to compute, process, and offer the navigation system, sensor for feedback data back to the lighting and components controlling and coordinating all of this is a challenge. A manipulator, subsea equipment, and devices to assess clarity, temperature, and depth are all included in the proposed task. The purpose of the proposed effort is to create such a ROV to execute a given mission involving several persons. In addition, a novel form of ROV attitude control is introduced, which makes use of floats to modify the ROV's centre of buoyancy. This is an interdisciplinary endeavour in which the members are from many fields. Together with the mechanical department, the electronics navigation team worked on this.

Simulation of the Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Control System

Abstract: The creation of an effective autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) control system is one of the main problems in the development of underwater robotics. The AUV control system must have the ability to implement complex adaptive algorithms. Since the algorithms implemented by the AUV control system are difficult to investigate in real conditions, they must be worked out by modeling using a special stand that fully and adequately reproduces the conditions for performing a real mission. The paper presents the structure of the multi-agent AUV control system, describes the structure of the software of the AUV control system modeling stand, presents the results of modeling the heavy-class AUV control system.

Design and Implementation of Lightweight AUV With Multisensor Aided for Underwater Intervention Tasks

Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are commonly used to conduct complex underwater tasks, such as marine infrastructure overhaul and maintenance, environmental monitoring, oceanographic mapping, and organism capture. These tasks require the ability of an AUV to perform autonomous navigation, especially when communication is limited in the underwater environment. This brief developed a new type of lightweight intervention AUV for autonomous navigation using data from multiple inertial sensors, where multi-sensor error state Kalman filter schemes are preferable to standard Kalman Filters in terms of the AUV’s motion estimates. Concerning target recognition, a color restoration method is provided for degraded underwater images and a You Only Look Once strategy is combined with topological analysis for object detection. In addition, the proposed design is robust in terms of its software components and mechanical structure, which provides a feasible platform for AUV’s secondary development. Experiments of surveying and object manipulation conducted in underwater environments demonstrate the functionality of the entire system and its potential applications in the fields of science and industry.

Planning the Operations of a Group of Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicles Based on a Carrier Vessel

Abstract: We propose a method for calculating the work carried out as part of the monitoring of a river or water basin by a group of autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (AUV) accompanied by a base vessel. This method is based on a two-level model. We give examples of monitoring a linear object (pipeline or cable) and randomly located inspection objects.