Lo-MARVE: A Low Cost Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Marine Exploration

TL;DR

Lo-MARVE is a low-cost, modular autonomous underwater vehicle built with Raspberry Pi, designed for shallow water exploration and environmental monitoring, validated through real-world field testing.

Contribution

This paper introduces Lo-MARVE, a novel low-cost AUV with modular design and wireless communication, offering an affordable alternative for marine exploration.

Findings

Successfully navigated and collected data in freshwater environment

Demonstrated autonomous operation outside laboratory setting

Validated low-cost design with effective environmental monitoring

Abstract

This paper presents Low-cost Marine Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Explorer (Lo-MARVE), a novel autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to provide a low cost solution for underwater exploration and environmental monitoring in shallow water environments. Lo-MARVE offers a cost-effective alternative to existing AUVs, featuring a modular design, low-cost sensors, and wireless communication capabilities. The total cost of Lo-MARVE is approximately EUR 500. Lo-MARVE is developed using the Raspberry Pi 4B microprocessor, with control software written in Python. The proposed AUV was validated through field testing outside of a laboratory setting, in the freshwater environment of the River Corrib in Galway, Ireland. This demonstrates its ability to navigate autonomously, collect data, and communicate effectively outside of a controlled laboratory setting. The successful deployment of Lo-MARVE in a real-world environment validates its proof of concept.