ATOM - Autonomous Tandem Ocean Mapping

Maritime mapping and inspection tasks are at the moment typically performed using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) controlled by operators from manned surface vessels. By combining unmanned surface vehicles (USV) with unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), it is possible to perform both automated and remotely controlled mapping and inspection tasks without the need for a manned surface ship. This is the scope of the ATOM project, where Maritime Robotics is collaborating with Skarv Technologies and Eco Tone to build a marine multi-vehicle sensor system combining a USV and a UUV carrying an underwater hyperspectral imager. This combined system is specialized for subsea surveys to enable end users to cost-effectively run frequent surveys, both in mid-water and the sea floor. The UUV and USV are able to communicate through a tether connecting the vehicles. Combining this with a radiolink to the USV, the UUV can effectively be controlled from a control station on land. This communication link enables streaming of image-data captured by the UUV back to land, and remote mission control using the USV as a communication relay.

Additionally the USV is able to carry, deploy and recover the USV, eliminating the need for larger and more costly manned vessels for this purpose. The combined strengths of a fast and high bandwidth surface craft, combined with an unmanned underwater sensor carrying platform can bridge a substantial gap in the current available ocean and seafloor sensing technologies.