Environmental modeling with precision navigation using ROAZ autonomous surface vehicle

The use of robotic vehicles for environmental modeling is discussed. This paper presents diverse results in autonomous marine missions with the ROAZ autonomous surface vehicle. The vehicle can perform autonomous missions while gathering marine data with high inertial and positioning precision. The underwater world is an, economical and environmental, asset that need new tools to study and preserve it. ROAZ is used in marine environment missions since it can sense and monitor the surface and underwater scenarios. Is equipped with a diverse set of sensors, cameras and underwater sonars that generate 3D environmental models. It is used for study the marine life and possible underwater wrecks that can pollute or be a danger to marine navigation. The 3D model and integration of multibeam and sidescan sonars represent a challenge in nowadays. Adding that it is important that robots can explore an area and make decisions based on their surroundings and goals. Regard that, autonomous robotic systems can relieve human beings of repetitive and dangerous tasks.

High-Accuracy Low-Cost RTK-GPS for an Unmanned Surface Vehicle

This work presents a low cost RTK-GPS system for localization of unmanned surface vehicles. The system is based on the use of standard low cost L1 band receivers and in the RTKlib open source software library. Mission scenarios with multiple robotic vehicles are addressed as the ones envisioned in the ICARUS search and rescue case where the possibility of having a moving RTK base on a large USV and multiple smaller vehicles acting as rovers in a local communication network allows for local relative localization with high quality. The approach is validated in operational conditions with results presented for moving base scenario. The system was implemented in the SWIFT USV with the ROAZ autonomous surface vehicle acting as a moving base. This setup allows for the performing of a missions in a wider range of environments and applications such as precise 3D environment modeling in contained areas and multiple robot operations.

Water jet based autonomous surface vehicle for coastal waters operations

This paper presents the design of low cost, small autonomous surface vehicle for missions in the coastal waters and specifically for the challenging surf zone. The main objective of the vehicle design described in this paper is to address both the capability of operation at sea in relative challenging conditions and maintain a very low set of operational requirements (ease of deployment). This vehicle provides a first step towards being able to perform general purpose missions (such as data gathering or patrolling) and to at least in a relatively short distances to be able to be used in rescue operations (with very low handling requirements) such as carrying support to humans on the water. The USV is based on a commercially available fiber glass hull, it uses a directional waterjet powered by an electrical brushless motor for propulsion, thus without any protruding propeller reducing danger in rescue operations. Its small dimensions (1.5 m length) and weight allow versatility and ease of deployment. The vehicle design is described in this paper both from a hardware and software point of view. A characterization of the vehicle in terms of energy consumption and performance is provided both from test tank and operational scenario tests. An example application in search and rescue is also presented and discussed with the integration of this vehicle in the European ICARUS (7th framework) research project addressing the development and integration of robotic tools for large scale search and rescue operations.