Scientific Operations Combining ROV and AUV in the Trondheim Fjord

Abstract

This paper describes an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) complementing each other on a scientific cruise in the Trondheim Fjord (Norway). The Norwegian University of Science and Technology Applied Underwater Robotics-Laboratory and the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment mobilized for a collaborative cruise with an ROV equipped with video camera, dynamic positioning system, still camera for photographic mosaic, underwater hyperspectral imager (UHI) and inertial measurement unit, and the AUV Hugin HUS with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) and still camera as main instruments. A multidisciplinary approach was used to set up the operations for using ROV, AUV, SAS, and UHI to document archaeological and biological sites. The cruise was run as an integrated operation processing data online and using collected data actively in the cruise planning and replanning.

The AUV presented unparalleled area coverage capacity for mapping and search, while the ROV provided detailed information from the sites. During the cruise, approximately 20 km² were mapped with high-resolution sensors, and the data were ground-truthed using the ROV. These data provided new information and insight of both biological and archaeological sites.