A miniature low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle

We announce the development of a prototype miniature low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The vehicle was designed to explore technology for one-way military applications, including minefield mapping/tagging, and cooperative underwater activities with similar units, but could also find application in shallow water mapping and remote sensing. The prototype vehicle measures approximately 24 inches long (61 m) by 3.5 inches in diameter (8.9 cm), displacing approximately 7 lbs (3.3 kg). We present the physical design of this vehicle, our findings from initial testing, including the performance of inexpensive sensors used for vehicle navigation.