Autonomy and networking challenges of future underwater systems

In the last decade, the use of underwater systems of all kinds has seen a steady increase. In this publication, we advocate the use of such systems in a complementary, collective, and networked manner. Even though today´s achievements of such systems look impressive, the level of autonomy and networking required for tomorrow´s needs remains deficient. After reviewing current trends and limitations, we formulate challenges pertaining to research areas that are key for future employments of underwater systems. We conclude by discussing future research efforts, especially those at the DRDC Atlantic Research Centre.