Cooperative navigation and localization for multiple UUVs

The authors proposed a moving long baseline algorithm based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF) for cooperative navigation and localization of multi-unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Research on cooperative navigation and localization for multi-UUVs is important to solve navigation problems that restrict long and deep excursions. The authors investigated improvements in navigation accuracy. In the moving long base line (MLBL) structure, the master UUV is equipped with a high precision navigation system as a node of the moving long baseline, and the slave UUV is equipped with a low precision navigation system. They are both equipped with acoustic devices to measure relative location. Using traditional triangulation methods to calculate the position of the slave UUV may cause a faulty solution. An EKF was designed to solve this, combining the proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors. Research results proved that the navigational accuracy is improved significantly with the MLBL method based on EKF.