Unmanned Systems Technology 007 | UMEX 2016 report | Navya ARMA | Launch & recovery systems | AIE 225CS | AUVs | Electric motors | Lethal autonomous weapons

60 T he commercial requirements of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are changing the way they are designed and deployed. Initially developed for mine clearance in shallow waters or remote operation in deep water, the need for flexible payloads and sensor fusion to combine data from different payloads for use in autonomous operation at greater depths is driving these changes. That change is highlighted in the US Navy’s classification of such systems (see table), with the torpedo-shaped designs evolving to larger systems for applications such as pipeline monitoring or seabed prospecting in deeper water. The latest AUV system from Lockheed Martin for example, the Marlin Mk3, being built by SeaRobotics, clearly shows this move. At the same time, smaller AUVs that operate in shallower waters are adding the ability to communicate directly and operate in swarms. As autonomous underwater systems head ever-deeper beneath the waves, so their designs are having to evolve. Nick Flaherty reports Deep thinking April/May 2016 | Unmanned Systems Technology The Abyss AUV carries a sensor payload that does not rely on light to analyse the sea floor (Courtesy of Geomar)