Ship Hull Inspection with the HAUV: US Navy and NATO Demonstrations Results

Abstract

The HAUV is a ship hull inspection vehicle prototype jointly developed by Bluefin Robotics and MIT over the past three years, under Office of Naval Research and PMS-EOD funding. The HAUV employs a unique DVL-based hull-relative navigation and control approach, which allows close-range sonar imaging, without recourse to any external navigation aid and without preparation of the ship being inspected. This paper presents results obtained with the vehicle during two demonstrations: the US Navy's HULSFest 2006 and NATO's Harbor Protection Trials 2006