Underwater Robotics: Out of the Research Laboratory and Into the Field

The development of two new classes of commercial underwater robotic vehicles – deep diving work-class remotely operated vehicles and survey-class autonomous vehicles – is being driven by the needs of deep water oil production and deep ocean telecommunication cable operations. This paper presents a survey of the present state and future directions of commercial underwater robotics, examines principal technical challenges, and outlines new enabling technologies for commercial underwater robotic vehicles.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Louis L. Whitcomb
• Keywords: Commercial Underwater Robotic, ICRA 2000, Robotics, Survey-class Autonomous Vehicles, Underwater Robotic Vehicles