Position and velocity filters for intervention AUVs based on single range and depth measurements

This paper proposes novel cooperative navigation solutions for an Intervention Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (I-AUV) working in tandem with an Autonomous Surface Craft (ASC). The I-AUV is assumed to be moving in the presence of constant unknown ocean currents, and aims to estimate its position relying on measurements of its range to the ASC and of its depth relatively to the sea level. Two different scenarios are considered: in one, the ASC transmits its position and velocity to the I-AUV, while in the other the ASC transmits only its position, and the I-AUV has access to measurements of its velocity relative to the ASC. A sufficient condition for observability and a method for designing state observers with Globally Asymptotically Stable (GAS) error dynamics are presented for both problems. Finally, simulation results are included and discussed to assess the performance of the proposed solutions in the presence of measurement noise.