Development of an autonomous underwater vehicle ISiMI6000 for deep-sea observation

Abstract

The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) has developed AUVs for survey on the swallow sea, and is under developing a deep-sea AUV based on the former experience. Since 2010, the AUV named ISiMI6000 was designed to explore the deep-seabed topography and hydrothermal vent up to 6,000 m depth. ISiMI6000 was designed witha cylindrical shape having Myringform to minimize fluid resistance. It has one main thruster and four control planes, of which the maximum speed is 4 knots and has over 1.5 knots in up/down direction. It equips with an underwater navigation system composed of Ultra Short Baseline (USBL), Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Obstacle Avoid System (OAS), and Global Positioning System (GPS). Its communication tools are Acoustic Telemetry Modem (ATM) under the sea and Radio Frequency (RF) modem at surface. Oceanographic sensors were equipped for precise survey on the deep-sea floor, such as Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD), Side Scan Sonar (SSS), methane sensor, and sub-bottom profiler (SBP) in optional. A HD Camera and LED light was installed for monitoring the sea floor, and an emergency managing device was designed with a weight drop system, a radio beacon and a xenon flash. This paper introduces the system design and configuration of ISiMI6000 and describes the operating software system in brief. This paper also describes a tank tests and field tests to evaluate the operation process and navigation performance at the Southern Sea.