The Prowler VI
The 8th Annual International AUVSI and ONR AUV competition marks the 6th year of participation for the University of Rhode Island AUV Team. As with past vehicles entered by the team, the Prowler VI is a flyer-type AUV designed with efficiency and simplicity in mind. The Prowler VI is capable of making fully autonomous and predicable decisions using a simple mission program run on a Prometheus PC-104 microcontroller. The Prometheus is able to utilize data from acoustical, optical, pressure and magnetic sensors to navigate through the competition environment and complete the mission. This year's mission can be divided down into 5 separate tasks; the first of these tasks is to pass through a validation gate, no other tasks can be attempted if this task is not completed. The second task involves the AUV interpreting the random mission order by decoding a light sequence from a light box. The Prowler accomplishes this task via the onboard forward-looking CMU cam. The third task involves tracking a red blinking light and manipulating a docking pylon to which the light is attached; the Prowler homes on the optical beacon using its onboard CMU cam. The fourth task involves following a pipeline to a target bin and releasing two markers into the bin. The Prowler uses a downward-looking CMU cam to follow the line and identify the target bin to complete this task. The fifth task involves tracking an acoustic beacon and surfacing above the beacon, in the recovery zone. The Prowler will use a USBL passive acoustic system to find the beacon and will surface by adjusting ballast and halting forward motion. The mission will take place in the Transdec Arena at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) in San Diego, California