A Review on Optimal Placement of Sensors for Cooperative Localization of AUVs

Abstract

Self-positioning of submerged Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) is a challenging task due to nonavailability of GPS signals. One of the most recent solutions for this is the use of surface vehicles (sensors) for cooperative localization of the underwater vehicles (targets) by measuring their relative positions. However, correct placement of the surface sensors is very critical as their geometric configuration affects their observability and hence availability of their relative positions information to the targets. In this paper, a comparative survey of sensors’ optimal formation techniques for cooperative localization of AUVs has been presented. Introduction to the basic cooperative localization techniques and background theory of optimal sensor placements have been provided. This paper can also serve as a fundamental reading material for students and researchers pursuing research on optimal sensor placement for cooperative localization.