The UUVS, generally centred on its conference, gave an update on the progress of developments in this field. All seventeen papers were invited by the organising committee, which had a great influence on quality and theme. The subjects covered differed from last year and papers grouped according to commercial, military, technology communications/netcentric operations, power and biomimetics) subject matter were presented by experts from Canada, France, UK and the USA. Delegate attendance often left standing room only, an indication of the amount of interest in papers.
Delegates approved the conference programme, formulated by a committee of experts drawn from the UUV industry and academia and chaired by Dr Stephen Tetlow, who due to illness could not be present. The presentations with questions time, exhibition stands, the breaks and the very well-attended conference dinner offered ample opportunity for discussion and exchange views on the problems, progress and opportunities of UUVs.
The commercial session with six interesting papers gave inside information on the use of AUVs in the offshore industry. Under review here was not so much the ‘traditional’ role of the AUV in bringing sensors close to the seabed for accurate and efficient surveying according to a pre-programmed path, but more specifically projects concerning investigation of the role of AUVs in inspection and intervention. These activities imply the importance of hovering for the AUV industry. The papers included the experience of SPINAV (pilotless-rise inspection using an AUV), the SWIMMER and ALIVE-projects, AUTOTRACKER (autonomous pipeline inspection), ALISTAR AUV inspection and BP R&D projects, including one on acoustic AUV navigation.
The present state of AUV-based intervention technology proves this to be a new and efficient way of working, and one that has extra potential in new areas of exploitation such as deepwater and marginal fields. Attention must be paid to matching project need and technical solutions.
The military session clearly showed the military value of UUVs, not only for covert operations and rapid environmental assessment but also for such activities as MCM and security operations. It showed an already impressive use of AUVs in various capacities, and future prospects by the US and in plans by UK to use AUVs in the maritime battle space. The military are allocating increasing budgets to UUV development, although military requirements are not the same as commercial and scientific requirements. However, acoustics (SAS) are receiving an extra boost from this R&D.
The technology session focused on communication and netcentric operations, power aspects and biomimetics. The communication and netcentric part showed the (military) need to integrate sensors, communication and processing of data to deliver better situational awareness and the R&D being carried out on this aspect. The critical importance of power for AUVs yielded three interesting papers on the present and future state of batteries and fuel cells. The session signalled how the power situation is improving but a lot more work has to be done.
Papers on biometrics gave an insight into projects on a biometric approach to surf-zone MCM and AQUA, an underwater walking robot.
The conference proceedings can be ordered from Spearhead Exhibitions at www.uuvs.net for the price of £25 plus VAT and postage.

The Exhibition
Alongside the conference, an exhibition was held in the SOC-buildings around the conference room. Quite a lot of UUVs were displayed, ranging from small ones like the Navajo from Sub-Atlantic to the HUGIN from Kongsberg Maritime. As well as AUV manufacturers, manufacturers of software and hardware also showed products at the exhibition, including connectors or sensors for use in the UUV industry. FUGRO announced its acquisition of the HUGIN 3000 to expand its deep-water surveying capability. USN announced its purchase of the Gavia for MCM tests and successful operational offshore pipeline inspection tests by the new ECA Alistar.

What Was New?
Whilst there was no obviously world-altering new invention on display, many small steps could be noted in the evolutionary process. The reduction in size of systems is one ex-ample; included here is the Tritech Micron family (sonar, gyro, microsounder, manipulator arm and camera) which enables full potential for small UUVs.
The UUVS is located next to the Empress dock, which offers opportunities for demonstrations with waterborne equipment. This year CodaOctopus grasped this chance to demonstrate its Echoscope-HI, with real-time 3D capabilities for harbour inspection, under/hull surveys and piling inspections. Will we see other manufacturers follow this example at the next UUVS?
I missed any attention for AUV driving instruction, perhaps resulting from the fact that most are simply the generation following on prototyping. But - forgive me the comparison - buying an SUV-car is different from driving it without crashing in rough terrain...

Next Year
Great interest underpins the (since 2003) annual UUVS, bringing together as it does users, industrial designers, the military and scientists as UUVs have grown into a business serving the commercial, military and scientific world. The seventh UUVS will be held at the Southampton Oceanography Centre on 28th and 29th September 2005. Many exhibitors have already booked their stand.

Source: Leeke van der Poel