RoboBoat: A robotic boat for 3D mapping of partially flooded underground sites

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the development and field testing of RoboBoat, an unmanned surface vehicle designed to acquire three‐dimensional (3D) point cloud representations of narrow flooded galleries in caves, mines, and other similar environments where conventional surveying and mapping procedures cannot be applied. We developed techniques tailored to these scenarios, including a contour‐following reactive navigation method and an iterative closest point‐based simultaneous localization and mapping method. Custom metrics have been defined to iteratively validate and improve the 3D model of the passageways. The successful field tests in natural caves and mining galleries demonstrate the accuracy of the 3D representation, making it suitable for digital preservation of large‐volume cultural heritage sites.