Particle Filter Based AUV Localization using Imaging Sonar

This paper presents a sonar-based localization approach for an autonomous underwater vehicle, valid both in structured and unstructured environments. The presented system is based on a particle filter algorithm to represent the vehicle state and it uses a mechanically scanned imaging sonar to acquire sensor data from the environment. A particular attention is given to the calculation of the likelihood from the sonar data, where two possible ways are presented and to the experimental results. The proposed system was validated both in simulation and in trials, involving the autonomous underwater vehicle Ictineu. The trials took place in a abandoned marina, for a trajectory long more than 600 m.