Coverage Optimization with Non-Actuated, Floating Mobile Sensors using Iterative Trajectory Planning in Marine Flow Fields

This paper considers a spatial coverage problem in which a network of passive floating sensors is used to collect samples in a body of water. We employ an iterative measurement and modeling scheme to incrementally deploy sensors so as to achieve spatial coverage, despite only controlling the initial sample point. Once deployed, sensors are moved about a survey area by ambient surface currents. We demonstrate our results in simulation on 40 different ocean flow fields and compare against several baselines. This work provides a computational tool for scientists seeking a low-cost, autonomous marine surveying system. Although in this paper, we concentrate on ocean drifters, our approach can be extended to other domains where a spatial distribution of passive nodes in a flow field can be modeled.