I led a team of Masters students that developed and tested a man-portable Unmanned Underwater Vehicle which is semi-autonomous. Operators can remotely control the UUV or receive real-time feedback in autonomous operations with high-bandwidth thanks to LED modems. An Adaptive Feedback Linearization Controller is implemented in the autopilot firmware to provide path following capabilities to the vehicle.

I founded a start-up that built a prototype swarm of hybrid UUVs equipped with laser terminals. They provide high-bandwidth communication and positioning even in difficult environmental conditions (turbid water, ambient light near the surface). Combined with acoustic sensors, they enable the UUVs to follow subsea structures for automated inspections.

The swarm prototype has been tested at the port of Long Beach and in Sacramento waterways. The UUVs are launched from a frame also equipped with a laser terminal. Thus, a daisy chain can be formed to transmit data through the swarm up to the surface.  In team configuration, the UUVs realized a scan of a 100 ft long boat to acquire biofouling data and to verify its structural integrity.