Design of unmanned surface vehicle (USV) for bathymetry in glacial lakes

Abstract

This paper presents the design and development of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (USV) to perform bathymetry surveys in glacial lakes. Accurate depth measurement in these environments is essential for evaluation of the volume of the lakes and analysis of potential flooding hazard. The developed USV, called "Calle-Calle" is equipped with sonar to autonomously collect depth data. The mechanical and electronic design of the USV is described addressing aspects such as buoyancy, manual control, automatic control and sonar integration. Manual control tests revealed the integration between the radio control and the Pixhawk flight controller, while automatic control tests revealed improvements in the accuracy of tracking programmed routes. Successful sonar integration allowed depth measurements in rivers such as the Calle - Calle and Cau-Cau (Valdivia - Chile). The USV featured an operational autonomy of 30 to 45 minutes and reliable telemetry coverage, enabling autonomous operations. In addition, opportunities for future work are discussed, including improvements in automatic control accuracy and exploration of new tasks and sensors.