Shephard Media - ECA Group demos new robotics features for A9-E AUV
ECA Group demonstrated two new features of its A9-E AUV as part of the EU-funded SWARMs project.
Published on Shepard, july 2017.
Read the PDF file (English)
ECA Group demonstrated new features on an experimental model of its A9-E AUV as part of the 3-year EU-funded Smart and Networking Underwater Robots in Cooperation Meshes (SWARMs) project. This project invovles partners from ten European countries. It aims to develop innovative solutions and increase knowledge levels in underwater robotics.
The new feaures included an extra acoustic modem with network protocols from Evologics fitted in a modified front payload section, and advanced autonomy interface onboard computing capabilities.
- The new modem enables the integration of the A9-E AUV in a multiple access underwater communication network, which deconflicts the use of multiple vehicles operating in the same area. Using a USV as a Wi-Fi and RF gateway, status vector including AUV position and speed was successfully displayed on the topside SWARMS multi-vehicle mission management tool.
- The advanced autonomy interface allow mission parameters to be adapted on the fly. A real-time quality analysis and control of a bathymetric survey was conducted using a Klein 3500 interferometric side-looking sonar. Quality factors were extracted in real-time from the raw sonar data.
The factors measured the interferometric baseline decorrelation, which can result from many factors including reduced signal to noise or multipath interference in shallow water and degrades the accuracy of the depth soundings. The altitude of the survey was adapted to between 4m and 6m to minimise the baseline decorrelation and to increase the accuracy of the soundings.
Learn more: ECA Group demonstrates its AUV advanced robotics features during SWARMS’ Black Sea Demonstration