USBL integration and experimental assessment in a multisensor EKF-based AUV navigation approach.

Abstract

This Master’s Thesis details the practical implantation of an acoustic positioning and communication system in an autonomous underwater vehicle used for research purposes. The implementation has been followed by the evaluation of the system performance. Both, in simulation and in field tests. The purpose of this integration, is to provide an absolute position measurement and a continuous communication link when the robot is underwater, in order to increase the localization accuracy and the robot supervision. It will allow to perform larger and deeper missions, increasing the autonomy of the robot. This chapter presents the project by first exposing the motivation, section 1.1, secondly it enumerates the goals of the project in the section 1.2, and thirdly the research projects in which Thesis is framed, section 1.3. Moreover, an state of the art is presented in the section 1.4, followed by the methodology used, section 1.5.