Autonomous underwater vehicle navigation

Abstract

This chapter surveys the problem of navigation for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Navigation is critical for the safety and effectiveness of AUVmissions. The unavailability of global positioning system (GPS) underwater makes AUV navigation a challenging research problem. Recent years have seen considerable improvements in performance and reduction in the cost and size of the various sensor devices available for ocean vehicle navigation. In concert with these developments, advances in algorithms such as simultaneous localization and mapping, and cooperative navigation have enabled dramatic improvements in the navigation capabilities of AUVs. These improvements in AUV navigation have contributed to the successful deployment of AUVs for a wide variety of applications over the past decade.