An Inside Perspective on LAUV Control and Localization Layers★ ★

Underwater Systems and Technology Laboratory (LSTS) is focused in delivering services at sea to a wider audience by providing a complete open-source software toolchain for the control of autonomous networked vehicle systems. Although these autonomous systems include aerial, surface and underwater vehicles, as well as communication gateway buoys, the Light Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (LAUV) is the core research. Recent integration of new communication technologies enable these systems to be operated remotely, with no human operators nearby. To ensure safety, accurate localization is required underwater. Also, the vehicles must be able to avoid obstacles or to launch autonomous recovery procedures when stuck. This paper describes the organization of the onboard localization, new motion controllers introduced for safety, and briefly touches on key aspects for communications networking.