Localization Systems for Autonomous Operation of Underwater Robotic Vehicles: A Survey

This paper examines recent improvements in autonomous maritime mechatronic systems from the standpoint of localization. Localization is the most essential navigational competency required for the autonomous operation of mobile robots. Localization refers to the robot’s ability to determine its own position and orientation within a predefined frame of reference. Advances in underwater localization sensor technologies and underwater localization algorithms are enabling unique underwater vehicles and missions. New breakthroughs in the design of localization systems for the autonomous operation of surface vessels and underwater robotic vehicles are addressed briefly. This paper begins by introducing the localization problem and the descriptive terms related to it. Then, it offers a survey of improvements in localization approaches, generally categorizing them and highlighting their premises and resulting drawbacks, major technologies, and development status. This paper presents a comparison of the methodologies is carried out, examining their performance and emphasizing appropriate application scenarios. The survey is by no means thorough, but it does present some noteworthy results in the field of maritime localization. In addition, a few potential research directions are suggested.