U.S. Geological Survey needs an autonomous underwater vehicle for Great Lakes project
The U.S. Geological Survey needs an autonomous underwater vehicle for a project at the Great Lakes Science Center located in Ann Arbor, Mich., the agency announced.
The underwater vehicle must be a 1- person portable self-propelled autonomous vehicle with an integrated high-accuracy fiber-optic gyroscope inertial navigation system and able to carry a custom hull assembly.
The AUV must meet the following specifications:
- Maximum length of 85 inches and a maximum weight of 85 pounds
- Modular carbon-fiber hull sections with a tube diameter 5.8 inches to carry a custom hull section of the same diameter that has been previously designed, built, and field tested and in which USGS is already substantially invested.
- High-accuracy, solid-state fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG)-based inertial navigation system (INS) fully integrated in AUV. System must support accurate heading, roll, pitch, speed and position. Rechargeable battery section that can be charged on or off the AUV for hot swap
- Maximum depth rating of at least 200 meters
- Endurance of 9 to 12 hours at 3 knots
- Wireless 802.11n ethernet
- Antenna mast or fin configuration with navigation lights including IR and visible LEDs with programmable strobe
- Iridium satellite data communication capabilities
To learn more about the project, view the USGS announcement HERE.
