The Spurdog AUV: A Field Configurable and Optionally A-Sized Low-Cost AUV

The MIT Spurdog AUV is a low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to facilitate research in multi-agent heterogeneous autonomy. The core vehicle costs less than $3,000 USD and utilizes commercially available or 3D-printed parts to enable easy reproduction and maintenance. Featuring a new Sequential Coupling System for modular payload integration, the Spurdog supports rapid reconfiguration and multiple modes of manufacture. This paper presents the Spurdog’s mechanical, electrical, and software architecture, highlighting its potential serve as an intermediate platform which bridges the gap between academic research and field-operable AUVs.