A method of docking an AUV includes using passive underwater acoustic reflectors attached to a docking station, the reflectors being interrogated with a sonar fitted to the AUV. The reflectors are identified, their relative position to the AUV determined and the information used to guide the AUV to the docking station. The relative position of the reflectors to the AUV may be continuously updated to adjust the approach of the AUV to the docking station. The reflectors may be spherical with a shell surrounding a core. Some of the acoustic energy impingent on the shell may be reflected from the outer shell whilst some is passed through the shell and core to the opposite side of the shell where it is reflected back and combines with the signal reflected from the outer shell to give a characteristic double echo. The reflectors may have holes to allow the ingress of water.
Autonomous unmanned submersible vehicle docking
2018-04-11
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
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