Coastal Underwater Evidence Search System with Surface-Underwater Collaboration

Abstract

The Coastal underwater evidence search system with surface-underwater collaboration is designed to revolutionize the search for artificial objects in coastal underwater en-vironments, overcoming limitations associated with traditional methods such as divers and tethered remotely operated vehicles. Our innovative multi-robot collaborative system consists of three parts: an autonomous surface vehicle as a mission control center, a towed underwater vehicle for wide-area search, and a biomimetic underwater robot inspired by marine organisms for detailed inspections of identified areas. We conduct extensive simulations and real-world experiments in pond environments and coastal fields to demonstrate the system's potential to sur-pass the limitations of conventional underwater search methods, offering a robust and efficient solution for law enforcement and recovery operations in marine settings. (Video<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup><sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup>https://youtu.be/tEtTLpGrO2c)