Sparus Docking Station: A current aware docking station system for a non-holonomic AUV

This paper presents the design and development of a funnel-shaped Sparus Docking Station intended for the non-holonomic torpedo-shaped Sparus II Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. The Sparus Docking Station is equipped with sensors and batteries, allowing for a stand-alone long-term deployment of the vehicle. An inverted Ultra Short Base-Line system is used to locate the Docking Station as well as to provide long-term drift-less vehicle navigation. The Sparus Docking Station is able to observe the ocean currents using a Doppler Velocity Log, being motorized to allow its self-alignment with the current. Moreover, a docking algorithm accounting for the current is used to guide the robot during the docking maneuver. The paper reports consecutive successful experimental results of the docking maneuver in sea trials in two different countries.