The Wireless Communications for Unmanned Surface Vehicle: An Overview

With growing interest in commercial, scientific and environmental issues on oceans, lakes and rivers, there has been a corresponding growth in demand for the development of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). The wireless communication module is one of the key components of USV because of the data and control information communication with ground control stations and other vehicles to perform cooperative control. This paper presents a survey on the wireless communication techniques that can be used in USVs and a detailed discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques for data and control information transmission. The paper first provides an overview of both typical and recent wireless communication techniques, along with some principles and parameters. Next, wireless communication techniques used in USVs are outlined and classified according to single USV and multi-USVs. Finally, some advices on choosing wireless communication techniques and some general challenges towards high-speed and swarming USVs are highlighted.