Design of a small, cheap UUV for under-ship inspection and salvage

Abstract

Small UUVs have a wide variety of uses including inspection, instrument placement, specimen gathering and salvage. However the uses of these UUVs has been limited by two factors: 1. Cost-UUVs have been traditionally quite expensive, putting them well out of the reach of the traditional marine operator. 2. Wires-Most UUVs trail a cable for power, control, and video back to the operator. The cable makes it difficult to use the UUV in kelp, or in the presence of nets or other UUVs. This paper describes the design and function of a small (less than 10 kg) and inexpensive UUV that is given a mission description and then carries out that mission autonomously. The UUV can home in on a beacon, assuring its recovery at the end of the mission. This vehicle can be used for everything from inspecting a fouled propeller to placing a piece of equipment on the ocean floor in the middle of a kelp forest.