The Integration of Remotely Operated Vehicles ROVS and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles AUVS Using Subsea Wireless Communication

Abstract

Abstract The proposed technology provides subsea autonomous solutions using artificial intelligence and communication software. These integrate wirelessly between Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). This is a significant improvement on the current pre-programmed mode of AUVs and the subsea communications and operation of autonomous robotics. Furthermore, the technology allows underwater wireless communication between autonomous subsea robotics and introduces new operational opportunities using simultaneous multi-robotic subsea arrays. Underwater vehicles are used for a wide variety of operations that include – but are not limited to inspection/identification, oceanography, survey missions or samples picking. Underwater vehicles may be manned or unmanned. Among the unmanned vehicles, there are ROVs and AUVs. An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is a robot that travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes the mentioned non-autonomous Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles (ROVs) – controlled and powered from the surface by an operator/pilot via an umbilical or using remote control. ROVs are unmanned underwater vehicles connected to a base station, which may be a ship. As mentioned ROVs are connected to the ship by means of cables; this implies that the maximum achievable distance between the ROV and the base station is limited by the length of the cable. AUVs are unmanned underwater vehicles, which are connected to a docking station by means of a wireless communication. Typically, AUVs are propelled through the energy stored in batteries housed in their body. This means that the operative range of an AUV is limited by the capacity of the battery. This type of underwater vehicles has recently become an attractive alternative for underwater search and exploration since they are cheaper than manned vehicles. Over the past years, there have been abundant attempts to develop underwater vehicles to meet the challenge of exploration and extraction programs in the oceans. Recently, researchers have focused on the development of AUVs for long-term data collection in oceanography and coastal management. The oil and gas industry uses AUVs to make detailed maps of the seafloor before they start building subsea infrastructure; pipelines and sub-sea completions can be installed in the most cost effective manner with minimum disruption to the environment. In addition, post-lay pipe surveys are now possible, which includes pipeline inspection. The use of AUVs for pipeline inspection and inspection of underwater man-made structures is becoming more common. With the adoption of AUV technology becoming more widespread, the limitations of the 5 technology are being explored and addressed. The average AUV charge lasts about 24- hours on an underwater AUV, but sometimes it is necessary to deploy them for the kinds of several day missions that some unmanned systems are equipped to undertake. Like most robots, the unmanned mechanisms contain batteries that require regular recharging. Docking stations that communicate directly with underwater vehicles, guiding them to where they can recharge and transfer data have been developed. Any data the AUV has gathered, such as images of the seabed, could be uploaded to the docking station and transmitted to home base, which could direct new instructions to the robot any underwater vehicle requiring the need of a wireless communication with the docking station faces at least the problem of the limitations for wireless communications in water