A preliminary survey of underwater robotic vehicle design and navigation for under-ice operations

Abstract

This paper reviews the motivation, development, and use of underwater robotic vehicles designed for use in ice-covered waters, with special attention paid to the navigation systems employed for under-ice deployments. The scientific need for routine access under fixed and moving ice by underwater robotic vehicles is briefly reviewed. The challenges of under-ice vehicle navigation are summarized. The paper then reviews all known under-ice robotic vehicles and their associated navigation systems, categorizing them by vehicle type (tethered, untethered, hybrid, and glider) and by the type of ice they were designed for (fixed land-fast sea ice and moving sea ice).