AUV Simulator

Last Updated on Friday, 29 October 2010 17:52 Written by Alison Little Wednesday, 24 March 2010 10:42

AUV Sim simulates the behaviour of an underwater vehicle, such as an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), autonomous underwater vehicle (UUV), mini-submarine (manned or unmanned), remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and includes the following features:

Realistic six degree of freedom simulation, including:
• User - configurability, allowing user to position and specify properties of vehicle components,
• Performance of actuators and static bodies, including added mass effects,
• Environmental effects, including tide and sea-state,
• Wave response model: The motions are calculated via the shape of the sea surface as well as the vehicle's velocity with respect to the waves. A user interface dialog allows the amplitudes of response to be scaled independently for surge, sway and yaw.
Control algorithms to optimally control the actuators to perform a chosen task, including waypoint following and dynamic positioning;
Auto-tuning algorithms to optimise the performance of the controllers for the specific vehicle;
Serial communications - sensor outputs include NMEA, TCM2, PD6;
Analogue input and output - for example, from external console, or input from measurement of actuator position;
Record and Playback;
Simple, intuitive, user interface and fully configurable communications;
Wire-frame  (view from above, east and south) views, 3D external view, Chart view;
NMEA 2000 interface (CAN Bus) supported.

The AUV Simulator, AUV Sim, was developed to aid the process of designing and optimising the control system for autonomous or remotely operated submarines. A range of autopilots algorithms has been developed for various operational tasks, including heading, track (waypoint) following, height / depth control, attitude (roll and pitch) control. Using the simulator, these autopilots can be optimised for a particular vehicle, without leaving the laboratory.

The SPECTRE Autopilot incorporates these algorithms.