Single Transponder Range Only Navigation Geometry (STRONG) applied to REMUS autonomous under water vehicles
Single Transponder Range Only Navigation Geometry (STRONG) applied to REMUS autonomous under water vehicles
Date
2005-08
Authors
Hartsfield, J. Carl
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DOI
10.1575/1912/1637
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Keywords
REMUS (Autonomous underwater vehicle)
Navigation
Transponders
Navigation
Transponders
Abstract
A detailed study was conducted to prove the concept of an iterative approach to single
transponder navigation for REMUS Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
Although the concept of navigation with one acoustic beacon is not new, the objective
was to develop a computer algorithm that could eventually be integrated into the REMUS
architecture. This approach uses a least squares fit routine coupled with restrictive
geometry and simulated annealing vice Kalman filtering and state vectors. In addition, to
provide maximum flexibility, the single transponder was located on a GPS equipped
surface ship that was free to move instead of the more common single bottom mounted
beacon. Using only a series of spread spectrum ranges logged with time stamp, REMUS
standard vehicle data, and reasonable initial conditions, the position at a later time was
derived with a figure of merit fit score.
Initial investigation was conducted using a noise model developed to simulate the errors
suspected with the REMUS sensor suite. Results of this effort were applied to a small at
sea test in 3,300 meters with the REMUS 6000 deep water AUV. A more detailed test
was executed in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts, in 20 meters of water with a REMUS 100
AUV focusing on navigation in a typical search box.
While deep water data was too sparse to reveal conclusive results, the Buzzard's Bay
work strongly supports the premise that an iterative algorithm can reliably integrate
REMUS logged data and an accurate time sequence of ranges to provide position fixes
through simple least squares fitting. Ten navigational legs up to1500 meters in length
showed that over 90% of the radial position error can be removed from an AUV's
position estimate using the STRONG algorithm vice dead reckon navigation with a
magnetic compass and Doppler Velocity Log alone (DVL).
Description
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
Master of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution August 2005
Embargo Date
Citation
Hartsfield, J. C. (2005). Single Transponder Range Only Navigation Geometry (STRONG) applied to REMUS autonomous under water vehicles [Doctoral thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution]. Woods Hole Open Access Server. https://doi.org/10.1575/1912/1637