A portable ASV prototype for shallow-water science operations

Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASV) are capable of performing a wide range of tasks given the emergence of state-of-the-art sensors, wireless communications links, autopilots and supervisory control systems. This paper describes prototyping efforts for a new, low-cost, portable ASV specifically developed for transport by helicopter and backpack in the Arctic. A prototype of this new ASV was developed as part of an 8-month undergraduate capstone project at Santa Clara University. The resulting system has a modular aluminum chassis, marine grade thrusters, and an open source autopilot system. The system has undergone initial field testing and has demonstrated the ability to navigate along paths in a region of interest to within 1 meter. This paper reviews the design of the vehicle, illustrates its navigation performance to date, and discusses plans for future work.