Cloud-based remote control framework for unmanned surface vehicles

Abstract

This paper proposes a cloud-based mission control framework for a fleet of unmanned vehicles. The framework enables easy remote access to fleet operations regardless of operator location. By leveraging cloud-based technologies the framework accomplishes scalable monitoring, remote control, data acquisition and sharing. While the front-end is applicable across mobile robotic systems, the back-end presented in this paper provides integration with the Robot Operating System (ROS); thus, enabling integration of various marine robotic agents based on the same robot framework. The proposed framework operation is demonstrated on the H2OmniX unmanned surface vehicles during trials in Biograd na Moru, Croatia.