Cooperative positioning and navigation for multiple AUV operations

Tackles the problem of multiple AUV operations. In the implementation of a flotilla, difficulties appears specially for positioning and navigation. We present a method which doesn't use a beacon network like in long baseline positioning system. The principle is to mix communication, dead-reckoned and range measurements. We extend a positioning method already developed (Vaganay et al., 2000, and Baccou et al., 2001). Differences appears in the level of the leader vehicle. We consider its dead-reckoned displacement and we suppose a very high precision. Vehicles can communicate between pings with an acoustic link. The follower vehicle knows by this way the yaw, the pitch and the speed of the leader. We show some simulations: the first example is the following of "zig zag" trajectory, the second is pipeline following and the last is area scanning with two vehicles at different depths.