Modelling, simulation and control of an autonomous surface marine vehicle for surveying applications Measuring Dolphin MESSIN

Abstract

Autonomous surface craft have been developed in particular for marine research and surveying exploration as well as for the rescue of human life at sea. To provide a rescue vehicle, an autonomous Rescue Dolphin was developed to rescue people in distress. The rescue system automatically triggers the alarm to the ship's management in case of 'man overboard', independently of ship manoeuvres. It moves fast towards the distressed person, and safeguards the distressed person until recovery by ship. The development of the unmanned autonomous surface vehicle Measuring Dolphin was carried out within the framework of the German cooperation project MESSIN. The main task of the project MESSIN consisted of the development and the testing of a prototype of the autonomous surface vehicle Measuring Dolphin which could be applied with high accuracy of positioning and track guidance and under shallow water conditions as a carrier of measuring devices. Fields of application include depth surveying, current and current profile measuring in port entrances and rivers, sediment research, extraction of samples for biological investigations and measuring in drinking water areas.