SEATURTLE: Sustained Engagement Autonomous Tracking of Underwater RepTiLEs

Abstract

While oceans cover the majority of our planet, these vast expanses remain relatively unexplored. Among the most interesting parts of the ocean are the shallow reef systems, which contain a huge amount of the planet’s biodiversity. The Sustained Engagement Autonomous Tracking of Underwater RepTiLEs or SEATURTLE is a low cost Autonomous Underwater Vehicle designed to carry out missions in these shallow environments. Its small displacement and precise movement make it ideal for navigating tight spaces, and its package of sensors make it easily adaptable to a variety of missions. For this project the vehicle was configured to autonomously track tagged objects underwater, using image recognition and the April Tags system.