Simultaneous Sonar Beacon Localization & AUV Navigation

This publication addresses underwater vehicle navigation and localization using a single acoustic beacon, assuming that the depth of the beacon is known. This problem is found in scenarios such as deep-sea navigation and airplane black-box recovery. In the case of deep-sea exploration, single-beacon navigation reduces system set-up time and operational costs. A parametric filter that allows for real-time implementation at an affordable computational load is developed. The proposed method is based on the SLAM framework and the inverse-depth parameterization employed in Computer Vision. Our approach is analyzed through simulations to assess its consistency and efficiency. Finally, our method is applied to real data acquired during the inspection of the wall of a dam by an AUV.