A feasibility study for a long range autonomous underwater vehicle

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Abstract
Findings are presented of a study to determine the feaS&ility of devebpiw and d8monStrating a long range autonomous undemater Vehide. Based on a real war# scale program need, a technology developmenr and capability denwnstration program is described. The -ram objbdives necessary to provide a proof of princ@e imluding expected system perfomm capabilities are described together with an activw program for the demo~tion system. Sensor systems Aor nav@tion, obstacle avoidance, passhfe deteclrbn, veh&& motion and Whici8 health are descfib8d. Padbl;lr attention is paid to the discussion of the hadware and softwan, architecturn for the system with an emasis on providing as much topdown guidance as possible and tu expbit sensor modality dflef8nCeS to produce complementary pemptual plocesses in the system. The discussion of the sotYware includes the wlicatbn of a system capable of wmttin~ parallelism in its knowlee sou~ce modules and a organized mlledion of perceptual and navQatbn modules tied together through a blackboard. The paper descrr7bes the databasa/commnkatbn system, the AUV and system bkck diaQram together with the issues which am inherent in the integmtion of dhe m&@b sensors of the system. Path planning abilities are described against a backgmund of actual sonar-&pth data obtained during the study. Simulations of a proposed vehicle, inckrdq six degms of freedm, in a marine environment are described. The evolution of the AUV system fmm simulation through conywnent testi' to the at sea demonstration is d&tssed.

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