Inland Waterway Vessel Autonomy: Sensor and Communication Design

This paper proposes a novel framework for au-tonomous inland waterway vessel operations, using a versatile sensor platform, 5G communication technology, Nvidia Jetson-based edge computing, and ROS2 Humble software. The frame-work aims to overcome the challenges of integrating autonomous technology into aging vessels, which lack reliable communication and navigation systems. The paper describes the physical and logical aspects of the communication concept, which integrates various sensors, communication protocols, and a robust IoT platform for managing real-time data. The paper also presents a prototype box that implements the communication concept in a portable and battery-powered manner, avoiding extensive integration into the ship infrastructure. The paper concludes that the proposed framework can improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of inland waterway transport, by enabling autonomous decision making and coordination among vessels and shore stations.