Low cost AUV in multiple deployment configurations for oceanographic research

AUVs are self-propelled and able to navigate at an acceptable speed, but they need an electric motor and batteries that are limited in autonomy. Multivehicle fleet deployment can provide an adequate platform for conducting long term surveillance. Unexpected event detection can be more easily conducted if a set of vehicles in idle mode are expecting the occurrence of this event. Long term and high persistence are very interesting characteristics that a collaborative fleet of different vehicles can provide. However, the problem is the high cost of such kind of vehicles. The possibility of performing adequate tasks by using low cost underwater vehicle could multiply the number of agents in the area and therefore, providing high persistence and wide survey area capabilities. This paper progresses in the definition of the requirements needed to be applied on these kind of vehicles considering the low cost of construction and operation as one of the main goals. A more technological advanced and better equipped ASV as communication and coordination station in the area in combination with a fleet of robust Low Cost AUVs in collaborative schema seems to be an interesting platform for providing good results.