Range-based AUV navigation expressed in geodetic coordinates

This work describes a range-based acoustic navigation system that utilizes range measurements from a single moving transponder with a known location to estimate the position of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Additionally, the navigation system simultaneously estimates the currents acting on the AUV. The novelty of our approach is to express the navigation algorithm and the position estimate entirely in geodetic coordinates. Navigation estimates are expressed with respect to the WGS84 coordinate reference system, although other geodetic coordinate systems could be used with very minor modification of our approach. Performance of the navigation system is evaluated from field trials conducted using the Virginia Tech 690s AUV.