Energy-Aware Autonomy for an Unstructured Subsea Environment, Phase II

Abstract

We seek advances in the ability of teams of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to collaboratively conduct long-duration missions and to operate in non-permissive unstructured-environments. Our approach to long-duration missions is to develop autonomy and platform technology that enable a team of AUVs to jointly minimize energy use. This is accomplished in part-through the development of advanced autonomy algorithms that enable a team of AUVs to predict-future water currents and to take advantage of them when maneuvering. Furthermore, we will-continue to develop an anchoring system for small AUVs so that they can moor themselves on-the seafloor, and we will continue to develop a power system and battery management system that-allow a small AUV to achieve an ultra-low power state.-We will pursue experimentation using teams of Virginia Tech 690 AUVs. An aggressive sequence-of field trials will occur in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast of Virginia.-During field trials, teams of 690 AUVs will exercise our advances in autonomy by attempting to-minimize energy use while accomplishing other tasks, such as collaboratively listening for other-actors in the environment (e.g., surface vessels), tracking them, and identifying potential threats to-civil infrastructure.--

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Apr 10, 2025
Source ID
N000142512224

Entities

People

  • Daniel J. Stilwell

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy
  • Virginia Tech

Tags

Readers

  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.