Tethered Multi-Robot Systems in Marine Environments

TL;DR

This paper presents a high-fidelity simulation framework for tethered multi-robot systems in marine environments, enabling realistic testing of control strategies for AUVs and ASVs using advanced modeling and simulation tools.

Contribution

It introduces a novel simulation platform combining GazeboSim, marine environment plugins, and a detailed tether model for evaluating tethered multi-robot control in marine settings.

Findings

High-fidelity simulation of tethered marine robots achieved

Effective testing of control strategies demonstrated

Realistic tether interaction analysis enabled

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel simulation framework for evaluating motion control in tethered multi-robot systems within dynamic marine environments. Specifically, it focuses on the coordinated operation of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and an Autonomous Surface Vehicle(ASV). The framework leverages GazeboSim, enhanced with realistic marine environment plugins and ArduPilots SoftwareIn-The-Loop (SITL) mode, to provide a high-fidelity simulation platform. A detailed tether model, combining catenary equations and physical simulation, is integrated to accurately represent the dynamic interactions between the vehicles and the environment. This setup facilitates the development and testing of advanced control strategies under realistic conditions, demonstrating the frameworks capability to analyze complex tether interactions and their impact on system performance.