Development of an Unmanned and Autonomous Surface Vessel for Inland Hydrographic Surveying
11th International Conference on Recent Advances in Air and Space Technologies, Conference Program, RAST 2026, İstanbul, Türkiye, 13 - 15 Mayıs 2026, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
- Doi Numarası: 10.1109/rast69551.2026.11672644
- Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Anahtar Kelimeler: ASV, autonomous navigation, bathymetry, dynamic positioning, hydrographic survey, marine surveying, sensor fusion, unmanned surface vessel, USV
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Nowadays, hydrographic surveying conducted for various purposes in marine environments are performed using conventional marine vessels equipped with numerous sensors. However, acquiring such a vessel necessary for measurements can often be difficult and costly. Furthermore, the installation and preparation of the necessary equipment for measurements also takes time, extending the total measurement duration. In addition, due to the limited maneuverability of these vessels, measurements in shallow waters requiring low-draft or in restricted measurement environments (like busy channels, heavy marine traffic, construction areas, and cargo operations environments) are quite difficult. All these operational and logistical challenges and limitations have given rise to the idea of using different platforms for hydrographic surveying. In this context, in the last few decades, small, lightweight, highly maneuverable, remotely controlled (as well as autonomous) Unmanned and/or Autonomous Surface Vessels (USV/ASV), equipped with almost every type of sensor required for hydrographic surveying, have begun to be used in measurements. This study presents a prototype USV for hydrographic surveying in shallow waters, designed and developed with the academic and technical infrastructure of Türkiye. One of the most important features that distinguishes the developed USV from others is its communication system, which can transmit data collected on board in real time. The experimental results of the "Autonomous Hydrographic Surveying Vessel"(AHSV) have shown that it can be used in hydrographic surveys in shallow water environments such as coastal areas and inland waters like lakes, rivers, and artificial resources, etc. Thanks to the development of small-sized and OEM-type position and depth measurement sensors used in hydrographic surveying, these devices can now be integrated into USVs. These advancements have made highly accurate hydrographic surveying possible. The kinematic trial tests have shown that the vessel can autonomously move to the operation area and keep its position despite external disturbances. The USV's easy transport and use, the ability to make measurements with a single person, its small size that allows for use in hard-to-reach and dangerous areas, its high maneuverability, its suitability for long-duration missions, and its speed and safety suggest that it will be increasingly used in marine applications in the future.