Auv

1. Specifications

Dimension

• Length : 3.8 m
• Diameter : 0.7 m
• Weight : 980 kg

Operating Depth : 6,000 meter maximum
Cruising Speed : 3 knots maximum
Propulsion : Four(4) electric motor thrusters
Power Source and Endurance : Ag-Zn rechargeable battery, 10 hours duration

Operating Scheme

• Autonomous navigation by pre-programmed mission
• Obstacle avoidance by 5-directional ranging sonars
• Remote controls by acoustic commands
• Recorded video image, side-scanning sonar image and logged data to be reviewed after recovery of the AUV

Onboard Equipments

• Video Image Collection :

TV camera with video recorder, and still camera

• Side Scan Sonar Array (2 sets, port & starboard) :

Image data are stored in hard disk

• Environmental Data Collection :

Conductivity sensor, Temperature sensor, Depth sensor

Positioning System

• Long-Base-Line Acoustic Positioning System
• 3 Bottom Transponders

2. Development of the AUV OKPO-6000

An unmanned deep sea underwater vehicle covering up to 6,000 meters has been successfully developed in Korea for the first time.

The Ship and Ocean R&D Institute (SORDI) of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (hereinafter, DSME) has successfully developed an deep sea AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Technology Problems (IMTP) of Russia Academy of Science from 1993 to 1996.

The shape of AUV looks like a torpedo having the length of 3.8 meters and diameter of 0.7 meters. This AUV would execute 1) deep sea mine sourcing 2) search and survey for the sunken bodies 3) sea bed cable tracking 4) scientific activities like oceanographic data acquisitions at the speed of three knots propelled by four end thrusters.

It submerges to the 6,000 meters seabed without tether line connecting the surface mother ship and carries out the preprogrammed missions. The data stored by means of video-camera, still-camera and scanning sonars are relieved after revovering. Two PCs not only control the underwater communications, sea keeping, maneuvering, and avoiding obstacles but also record data from sensors for depth, conductivities, temperatures.

This AUV dives into 6,000 meters sea bottom under the pressure of 600 Kgf/cm². So every structural, metallic, controlling component is to be designed to overcome this harsh environment.

Presently the survey of underwater within the depth of 1,000 meters is mainly relied upon the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) which are connected to the surface mother ship by the tether line. The motion control, however, is becoming difficult for the longer tether line. Therefore the survey of underwater deeper than 1,000 meters would be strongly relied upon the AUV not only because AUV can scan the wide range of underwater area but the technologies necessary to the remote control, real time communications, and more powerful energy supply are being rapidly developed these days.

DSME has been surveying the Okpo bay more than thirty times to record the pictures, video films and sea bottom maps. This AUV successfully surveyed the 2,300 meters deep seabed near 'Dock-Do' island of Korea in May 1996. In summer of 1998, this AUV was launched to the water depth of 5,000 at the western Pacific near Micronesia archipelago, and the vehicle was verified to be fully operational at the deep seabed.

DSME is presently keeping the highest technology and much experience regarding the underwater vehicles in Korea through many projects such as several navy submarines, one sightseeing submarine, one 300 m depth Camera-ROV, and one heavy duty ROV maintenance. Through the successful development of AUV 'OKPO-6000' which is counted as the 22nd in the world for the class of 6,000 meters water depth, the DSME, as a frontier, would encourage the underwater science and technology field to be bloomed in Korea.

In April 2001, DSME founded a subsidiary firm Sea Scan, Inc. that is developing the further AUV-related technologies.

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