sonardyne has published a case study showcasing the integration of it’s USBL-inertial systems into a deepwater unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) currently under progress with assistance from DARPA. This UUV is designed for extended survey and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) operations.
Creating large, deepwater autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is no small feat.However, with the right USBL-inertial systems, this complex task can be approached with greater ease, avoiding the need to plunge directly into the depths.
Identifying the Challenge
anduril Industries has embraced this strategy for its large displacement unmanned underwater vehicle (LD-UUV), known as the DIVE-LD. This rapid development initiative has garnered support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and has formed technology partnerships with institutions like the Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics at Virginia Tech.
Deepwater Capabilities with Shallow-Water Testing
The DIVE-LD is engineered for both littoral and deepwater missions, including survey, inspection, and ISR tasks. With a diameter of 1.2 meters and a length of 5.8 meters, this AUV is capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters, traveling at speeds between 2 to 8 knots, and covering nearly 600 kilometers in a single mission.
To refine the vehicle’s systems, Anduril sought to conduct tests in local waters. they already utilized one of our Ranger 2 Gyro USBL (ultra-Short BaseLine) systems for full ocean depth positioning on various vessels. However, they required a solution for positioning in shallower depths of 6 to 20 meters that could be quickly deployed on smaller coastal boats or RHIBs.
Proposed Solution
The company,which recently acquired Dive Technologies,an underwater robotics innovator based in Quincy,Massachusetts,opted for our Micro-Ranger 2 USBL system.
This choice proved ideal.The Micro-Ranger 2 is compact and portable,housed in a medium-sized,rugged IP67-rated case that includes a rechargeable power supply lasting up to 10 hours. It is indeed user-pleasant and can be set up from any waterside location, featuring Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity to laptops. The system can track up to 10 targets at a range of 995 meters, even in shallow waters, thanks to its Wideband digital signal architecture. Additionally, it comes with an integrator kit for those needing to track and communicate with various targets, including divers, ROVs, or large-displacement AUVs.
For Anduril, this system met all their requirements for enhancing navigation techniques and implementing USBL aiding during tests in areas with depths under 20 meters.
Integrating USBL-Inertial systems
Moreover, the DIVE-LD is equipped with our top-tier hybrid acoustic-inertial instrument, SPRINT-Nav X, along with the AvTrak 6, which combines transponder, transceiver, and telemetry functions. This setup allowed for seamless integration with the Micro-Ranger 2, as all components are built on our common 6G hardware platform.this compatibility ensures that all equipment communicates effectively, providing users with the flexibility to work with various transponders or topside systems to accomplish their objectives.
Outcomes Achieved
Tim Raymond, a founding engineer at dive Technologies and now Chief Engineer at Anduril, stated, “Micro-Ranger 2 enables us to deploy on nearly any vessel while conducting shallow water AUV tests. It also delivers reliable USBL positional support to the AUV, despite its compact size and the challenging acoustic conditions.”
“This system has facilitated the development of navigation techniques and the implementation of USBL aiding during tests in areas with less than 20 meters of total water depth, instilling high confidence in the capabilities of our DIVE-LD’s onboard software and aiding systems before deployment in more demanding environments where USBL aiding is crucial for AUV navigation.”
“The ability to quickly deploy on almost any vessel and test the integration of USBL aiding systems, without the need for a large host vessel or deep-water deployment, has allowed us to develop USBL aiding capabilities for the DIVE-LD on a very tight schedule and at a minimal cost for testing and validation.”
Are you in the process of developing an AUV or UUV? Reach out to discover how we can assist your development program, irrespective of the depths you aim to explore.
