Survey of unmanned subterranean exploration, navigation, and localisation

Abstract

Subsurface networks include mining tunnels, caves, and the urban underground. Each of these environments presents a complex setting with significant challenges in exploration, exploitation, etc. Multiple hazards exist, including environmental and structural, and conditions degrade and change temporally. We present a survey of research in autonomy, networking and mobility focused on exploring and/or mapping subsurface networks in unpredictable and unexplored environments. The focus is on mining tunnels as a proxy subterranean environment; motivated by the proximity of the authors to the Bonita Peak Mining District; a Superfund site consisting of 48 historic mines which have contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water with heavy metals as a result of historic practices. The exploration and assessment of the mining tunnels for remediation efforts presents an extremely challenging problem in subterranean navigation. Arguably, the environment in question is the most extreme and challenging subterranean environment. Unmanned assets must enter to explore and re-map the tunnels to assess safety for subsequent entrance by robots and/or humans for proper remediation. The survey is split into three categories — Locomotion, GPS-denied navigation and localization, and Communication. It is concluded with a proposed design for a platform that addresses the difficulties of exploring an abandoned mine.