More tools in the toolbox: The naval oceanographic office's Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS (REMUS) 6000 AUV

Abstract

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are useful and necessary tools for modern oceanographic data collection. The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) Ocean Projects Department has been successfully applying AUV technology since 1997. NAVOCEANO's entry into the large AUV realm was initiated with the transfer of a vehicle developed and tested at Draper Labs in 1997, named Lazarus. NAVOCEANO also teamed with Penn State Applied Research Laboratory to design and build the SEAHORSE-Class AUV, with the first of three vehicles delivered in 2001. These vehicles are powered by D-cell alkaline batteries and were mainly used to develop AUV Concept of Operations and logistic requirements. These vehicles are designed to operate under a preprogrammed set of rules and instructions with the goal of carrying out assigned missions without direct operator interaction or supervision. This concept would provide a ldquoforce multiplierrdquo to other NAVOCEANO survey assets. However, in order for AUVs to become operationally effective, several technology gaps needed to be overcome. These gaps included sensors, communications, navigation, power, and launch and retrieval systems. As technologies advanced, the REMUS 6000 AUV overcame these gaps and became an operational tool for the U.S. Navy.