Next Level Awareness for Next Level USVs

It is clear that the pace of development in Autonomous/Uncrewed Surface Vessel (ASV/USV) technologies and applications is steadily increasing. The confluence of greater at sea broadband connectivity, AI based vehicle control systems, and the limited pool of mariners coupled with the successes of uncrewed systems in the war in Ukraine has created an enormous opportunity for these platforms. The industry is ripe for widerspread adoption of these vehicles in not only defense applications but also hydrographic survey, search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and (soon) cargo/passenger transport. However, as more applications come online, there is one key factor that cannot be overlooked: what is underwater, ahead of the vessel right now?

Historically, USV development focused on the use of above water sensors (such as GPS, AIS, radar, and optical/thermal sensors) and ensuring compliance with US Coast Guard Rules-of-the-Road and COLREGS. Testing of these initial platforms took place either in well-charted areas or deep water locations where concerns about underwater hazards could be minimized. This means that up until recently, the underwater piece of the navigation puzzle has been largely ignored. However, this assumption in simplifying navigational needs is not scalable as ASV/USV’s move out of these simplified environments.

At first glance, one might assume that data from standard electronic navigational charts can provide the necessary inputs for these vessels to avoid underwater hazards. However, in many places where coastal ASV/USV applications are beginning to target, chart data is often unreliable outside of the main shipping channels. Traditional vessels often rely on local knowledge and observations from skilled bridge crew to navigate these areas. These two capabilities are non-existent with uncrewed systems leading to a lack of situational awareness. Not to mention, charts can’t account for transient obstacles, changes to the seafloor caused by seasonal conditions or post natural disasters, or operations in GPS denied environments. 

Above water sensors can’t detect the uncharted rock pinnacle or coral head. Above water sensors can’t detect debris that has blocked a previously well-charted channel after a hurricane. Above water sensors are very limited in their ability to detect whales, especially since they spend most of the time below the sea surface. Above water sensors are very limited in their ability to detect the keel of an iceberg or bergy bits. Above water sensors can’t sense the bathymetry in an austere environment. 

Fortunately, above water sensors are not the only tools available to the ASV/USV community. 3D Forward Looking Sonar (3D FLS) is a mature technology that excels at many of the tasks that are limitations to above water sensors and is a clear compliment to those tools. When working in conjunction with the other traditional navigation sensors, the vehicle’s control system (and/or remote operators) can employ 3D FLS to build a more complete understanding of its navigational environment.

FarSounder’s Argos 3D FLS can operate from 350 meters (more than 1,100 feet) to 1000 meters (more than ½ nautical mile) ahead of the vessel. FarSounder’s products have been installed worldwide since 2005 on a wide range of manned vessels and have been in use on uncrewed vessels since 2021. To date, they are deployed on a variety of defense and civilian owned USV’s from 14m in length and longer. 

The Argos series sonars provide real-time capabilities ahead of the vessel, build a bathymetric map of everywhere they go, and have the ability to optionally share this map anonymously across the FarSounder fleet. The sonar’s output can be accessed through a machine interface for vehicle control systems and via a graphical display for human-in-the-loop operators. Argos helps USV/AUV navigate more effectively, and in turn, expands applications and promotes safer marine environments.

To learn more about FarSounder’s 3D Forward Looking Sonars for uncrewed vessels, please visit www.farsounder.com/usv

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