Forcys has highlighted the successful validation of advanced acoustic positioning systems from technology partner Sonardyne used to aid the inertial navigation of the L3Harris Iver3 AUV.
Enhancing Navigational Accuracy
Mini-Ranger 2 ready to conduct operations.
To conduct successful autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) missions, navies require highly accurate positioning data. Integrating Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) position aiding has proven to be an effective method for supporting underwater vehicle inertial navigation. This approach ensures accurate vehicle operations while significantly reducing the error margins typically associated with subsea deployments.
Technical Integration
The Mini-Ranger 2 USBL positioning system and the AvTrak 6 Nano have been utilized to support the onboard INS. The Mini-Ranger 2 is designed for littoral operations, delivering precise data from the surface to track and communicate with the AvTrak 6 family of transceivers. For this specific application, the AvTrak 6 OEM Nano, which is the smallest variant in the product range, was integrated into the AUV.
The Iver3 in the water.
Operational Results
The AvTrak 6 OEM Nano has been programmed to send a PSIMSSB telegram each time the vehicle receives a position update from the surface, which is then used to aid the INS. Through a series of trials, it has been confirmed that this USBL integration successfully limits the dead-reckoning position drift that typically occurs during extended AUV operations. Furthermore, the implementation of diagnostic capabilities within the AvTrak 6 family is being considered to allow for in-situ observations of the acoustic environment, which can facilitate automatic adjustments to power and gain settings for improved performance.
Read Aiding the L3Harris Iver3 INS using USBL for more information.
