When any unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is beneath the surface of the water, even a few meters down, it cannot use a global positioning system (GPS) signal and or radio frequency (RF) communication. This is a universal problem for all UUVs operators. The ability to communicate rapidly and in real time while still submerged is beneficial for many applications. A buoyant tethered antenna that supports two-way RF communication as well as Wi-Fi, Iridium satellite, a camera and GPS reception would greatly enhance the identification and localization capabilities of all UUVs. The added advantage is the UUV with a towed antenna will be much more maneuverable underwater at depths between three to five meters than it would be on the surface. In addition, successful creation of a universal towed antenna will be of great interest to the ever-growing world of commercial autonomous vehicles in use around the world.
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