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Testing fouling impacts on mechanical and electrical functions of dock
(Amy Kukulya)
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Seafloor Docking with a REMUS-100 AUV;
Long Term Engineering Trials with second generation dock
Collaborators:
Ben Allen, Roger Stokey
A second project I am engaged in is with our seafloor
docking program. In an age of long term
autonomy testing and underwater observatories, our second generation docking
station is a valuable piece of R&D for our lab. In the past five years, I have done extensive
maintenance and mechanical modifications to the dock and two different REMUS
vehicles dedicated to our docking program.
Troubleshooting and maintenance includes replacing electrical (wires,
components) tracing GFIs, long term fouling and mechanical performance and
vehicle sensor integration and testing. Astute
attention to detail is needed in analyzing vehicle performance and long term
testing is essential. To date, I have
deployed the dock seven times and have run dozens of missions with multiple
vehicles while making programming and mechanical improvements on the fly. Continual funding is available for evaluating
dock performance which will lead to a design framework for larger docks for
deeper water REMUS AUVS. My role is to continue to evaluate dock and vehicle
performance with local field testing and to make the necessary changes for
longevity and robust performance so I can deploy the system off of MVCO later
this summer.
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