Acrobatic Low-cost Portable Hybrid AUV (ALPHA): System Design and Preliminary Results

Abstract

This paper reports the progress towards the development of a highly maneuverable affordable portable AUV, called ALPHA. The ALPHA has a diameter of 10-inch, an overall length of 1.5 m, and a total weight of about 30 kg with flooded areas for wet sensors. The research aims to provide an accessible under-water vehicle platform that is highly customizable to lower the barrier-of-entry to conduct research and education in underwater robotics. In this paper, the details in AUV system design will be presented. Field tests have conducted in Narragansett Bay to validate the performance of the guidance, navigation and control system with preliminary results shown and discussed in the paper. A suite of science sensors (an CTD, an optical dissolved oxygen sensor, and an optical chlorophyll sensor) is also integrated on the ALPHA for water property assessment during the field trials.