A System of Multi-AUV Interlinked with a Smart Cable for Autonomous Inspection of Underwater Structures

摘要

In this paper we present the concept of a multi-AUV system interconnected by a smart cable that contains 3-D positioning sensors for rapid inspection of large underwater structures in a limited mission timeframe. The smart cable provides not only the position of the end-points (AUV locations) but also its own shape in real-time, while also acting as a communication link between AUV. Using this cable, we propose the Hand-in-hand System (HS) for AUV localization and development of an obstacle avoidance strategy to accomplish the given task. For the application of the smart cable under water, versatile tank tests and field experiments were carried out to demonstrate and confirm the efficiency of the proposed system.