Positioning system for autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with multilink manipulators near work objects

Roman Pavlovich Vasilenko; Alexander Yurievich Konoplin

Roman Pavlovich Vasilenko Academician M. D. Ageev Institute of Marine Technology Problems Far Eastern Branch of RAS https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4939-2281
Alexander Yurievich Konoplin Academician M. D. Ageev Institute of Marine Technology Problems Far Eastern Branch of RAS https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7554-1002

Keywords: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Multilink Manipulator, Positioning System, Propulsion and Steering Complex, Underwater Currents, Underwater Intervention

Abstract

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are designed for efficient long-distance travel. When equipping such vehicles with multilink manipulators (MMs), it is necessary to select a vehicle position and orientation near the work object (WO) that will allow it to be stabilized and ensure the successful and safe mission execution. This paper proposes an approach to the synthesis of positioning systems for AUVs equipped with MMs near WOs during manipulation operations in the presence of underwater currents. This approach consists of the following main components: estimation of the underwater current velocity vector based on the analysis of visual navigation system data in the area near the WO; using flow simulation, the heading angles are determined at which propulsion and steering complex (PSC) capabilities are sufficient to stabilize the AUV under the effects of currents; the AUV with MM position relative to the target WO is determined, taking into account the onboard technical vision system (TVS) field of view and the boundaries of the MM workspace; simplified operation execution modeling is performed to assess the MM’s effects on the AUV; the target position and orientation of the AUV near the WO are selected based on a quadratic quality criterion.