AUV-Assisted Diver Navigation

Abstract

This letter presents a precise navigation technique for a scuba diver using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as a positioning aid. We develop and evaluate the state estimation algorithms and communication architecture for diver navigation based on subsurface human-AUV teaming with no requirement for ocean current data or exact diver speeds. By depending on acoustic communication and commercial AUV navigation capabilities, our method provides a unique capability for localizing a diver's position during an extended mission, without the requirement to maintain visual contact with the diver during the mission, or to deploy acoustic beacons. We utilize the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Micromodem 2 for range-only single-beacon navigation between two kayaks serving as proxies for the diver and REMUS 100 AUV. Range and odometry measurements are fused in a factor graph using incremental smoothing and mapping 2 (iSAM2) with appropriate motion and measurement models to provide real-time diver position estimates given unknown ocean currents. Field experiments demonstrate an average online endpoint error of 4.53 meters after 400-meter transits.