Target Localization Method for Underwater Robots Based on Synthetic Aperture

The article proposes a method for locating sound sources using a single hydrophone on an underwater robot that varies its depth vertically. By equipping the underwater robot with a single hydrophone and changing depth at a constant speed, multiple virtual short-aperture subarrays are synthesized. The direction information of the sound source is obtained using a beamforming algorithm, and then the location of the target is calculated based on the depth of the synthetic array. Simulation experiments were conducted to locate the classic calls of marine mammals, validating the method's feasibility. The simulation results show that this algorithm can accurately locate targets several kilometers away.