Abstract
Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) are becoming more and more popular for performing hydrographic and navigational tasks. One of the key aspects of autonomous navigation is the need to avoid collisions with other objects, including shore structures. During a mission, an ASV should be able to automatically detect obstacles and perform suitable maneuvers. This situation also arises in near-coastal areas, where shore structures like berths or moored vessels can be encountered. On the other hand, detection of coastal structures may also be helpful for berthing operations. An ASV can be launched and moored automatically only if it can detect obstacles in its vicinity. One commonly used method for target detection by ASVs involves the use of laser rangefinders. The main disadvantage of this approach is that such systems perform poorly in conditions with bad visibility, such as in fog or heavy rain. Therefore, alternative methods need to be sought. An innovative approach to this task is presented in this paper, which describes the use of automotive three-dimensional radar on a floating platform. The goal of the study was to assess target detection possibilities based on a comparison with photogrammetric images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The scenarios considered focused on analyzing the possibility of detecting shore structures like berths, wooden jetties, and small houses, as well as natural objects like trees or other kinds of vegetation. The recording from the radar was integrated into a single complex radar image of shore targets. It was then compared with an orthophotomap prepared from AUV camera pictures, as well as with a map based on traditional land surveys. The possibility and accuracy of detection for various types of shore structure were statistically assessed. The results show good potential for the proposed approach—in general, objects can be detected using the radar—although there is a need for development of further signal processing algorithms.
Highlights
The concept of using unmanned vehicles for various purposes arose from military applications and dates back to World War II
As well as our own experience with marine radar, we propose here a system based on the use of automotive radar for Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) navigation and anti-collision purposes
This paper describes a study in which automotive radar is mounted on an ASV, with the aim of avoiding the disadvantages of anti-collision systems based on laser rangefinders
Summary
Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), which are unmanned vehicles designed to perform autonomic missions on water, are becoming increasingly popular for carrying out various tasks in hydrography, navigation support, and marine and inland water surveying An overview of their potential applications is presented in Reference [1]. Some ASVs are large, unmanned conventional vessels, as described in Reference [2], but most of their applications at present are to autonomous hydrographic surveys, for example determination of territorial sea baselines [3] or bathymetric measurements [4] In both of these examples, the ASV autonomously executes a hydrographic survey, analogously to the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in, for example, a photogrammetric survey. In the case of an ASV, the platform is not flying but floating and navigating on a water surface, many of the problems that arise are similar to those faced by a UAV
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