Uncertainty Analysis of Ultra-Short- and Long- Baseline Localization Systems for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Oceanographic survey measurements conducted by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) require accurate localization. Long-baseline (LBL) navigation systems can have a high degree of accuracy, but have a limited operating range and are not easily re-deployed and surveyed. As field testing operations at the University of Idaho continue to expand, we are currently investigating the feasibility of replacing LBL localization with an ultrashort-baseline (USBL) system for AUV tracking and navigation. In this paper, we present a series of Monte-Carlo simulations that were performed to compare the measurement uncertainty between conventional LBL and USBL systems. Results from simulations suggest that USBL localization uncertainty is comparable to that of LBL albeit for a smaller operating range.