Testing and technical characteristics of a small overactuated marine platform

The construction of one-man-portable marine vessels presents a challenging task. One such vessel, the marine platform described in this paper, is actuated with four thrusters in an X-shaped configuration which enable motion in surge, sway and yaw degree of freedom. This configuration is highly convenient for dynamic positioning as well as path following. The platform is built in the Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies and it comprises driver electronics for the thrusters, a GPS unit, a compass, batteries and a single board computer used for sensor integration and control. These components enable manual control from the ground station as well as autonomous operation mode. The communication with the ground station is accomplished using a two-way wireless link. This paper focuses on the description of technical characteristics of the components as well as their integration. In addition to that, special attention is given to the control software developed in LabVIEW and its performances. Preliminary test results are given proving the functionality of the described technical system.