Navigation of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) is a challenging task because radio frequency signals, such as GPS, only propagate short distances in water. The most recent UUV trend is miniaturisation - a large number of the UUV manufacturers now offer micro-sized vehicles, enabling low-cost and rapid deployments in shallow water. Most UUVs requiring high-fidelity navigation use one of two methods: positioning through acoustic transponders, or through inertial navigation systems (INS) aided by a Doppler velocity log (DVL). Using acoustic transponders limits the operating range of the UUV to be within reach of the transponders. No such range constraint is imposed on DVL-aided navigation. However, limited payload space and cost constraints of micro-sized UUVs have historically precluded the use of DVL-based navigation. Therefore, there is a current need to reduce the size and cost of DVLs to enable micro-sized UUVs with a high-fidelity navigation solution. Teledyne Marine, USA, has responded to this need in the form of the new Wayfinder DVL.
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