DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR THE CREATION OF DISTRIBUTED CONTROL AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS FOR UNDERWATER VEHICLES

Abstract

The paper proposes the architecture of a digital platform for the implementation of distributed
control and navigation systems of underwater vehicles (UV), that perform technological operations
in an uncertain environment. The proposed digital platform is designed to automate the
following activities: monitoring the state of underwater infrastructure objects (communication
lines, pipelines, mining equipment, etc.), cartographic and geodesic works, determining the parameters
and boundaries of physical fields, zones of distribution of chemical compounds (pollution
zones) and bioresources, protection of underwater and surface infrastructure objects (underwater
mariculture farms, borders of water reserves, etc.), tracking moving objects, searching for objects
of a given type (biological, man-made, etc.), performing underwater technological operations
(welding, cutting, cleaning, etc.). For this platform, a command system has been developed that
provides flexible assignment of various types and purposes of UV missions. There are five types of
digital platform messages: mission order management commands, mission load management
commands, information messages, mission and group control commands. The concept of building
distributed control systems of the UV is proposed, which ensures the compatibility of existing onboard
UV systems with the proposed solution based on the combined hydroacoustic systems of
global hydroacoustic navigation developed in PAO "Dalpribor" (Vladivostok). These control systems
consist of two main parts. The first part is the initial on-board information and control system
of the UV, which ensures its movement to a given point in space at a given speed, receiving
data from on-board sensors, as well as controlling the operation of on-board equipment. The second
part – the high level control system, provides the possibility of interaction of the control system
through an acoustic communication channel with the global hydro-acoustic navigation system
and the operator's automated workplace. Simulation of the data transfer in CoppeliaSim between
the operator and the UV within the proposed digital platform have shown that reliable mission
loading and receiving information about the state of the UV is provided at different speeds and
under different operating conditions of the acoustic communication channel.