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Project Number 7
Date of Summary June 30, 1986
Subject Unmanned, Untethered Inspection Vehicle Technology (the EAVE Program)
Performing Activity Naval Ocean Systems Center University of New Hampshire
Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Corell, UNH & Mr. Paul Heckman, NOSC
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Completion Complete
Description This was a joint Industry Project (JIP) with the U.S. Navy to develop the technology for navigation, data sensing, storage, and telemetry for a free-swimming robot submersible programmed to inspect underwater pipelines and structures.
Progress Complete. Existing test bed vehicles were used to study the feasibility of unmanned, untethered robots for underwater inspection missions. The University of New Hampshire (UNH) test bed, EAVE-East evaluated acoustic navigation and communications. The robot is an open frame, clump-shaped vehicle, able to maneuver in three dimensions. It has undergone in-water testing around and through a simulated offshore structure. The Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) test bed, EAVE-West, is torpedo-shaped for high running speeds, such as pipeline following. It navigates by magnetometers and communicates using fiber optics telemetry. These test beds can perform basic underwater tasks.

Because of independent interest in EAVE-West technology, NOSC has fabricated and assembled a similar test bed system in an enclosed hydro-dynamically faired vehicle.
Reports
AA (1.093 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . The Engineering Design and Development of a Microcomputer Controlled Free-Swimming Vehicle, Final Report for the period September 1, 1977 - August 31, 1978, Contract No. N6601-77C-0348, Marine Systems Engineering Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire.
AB (838 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Gordon, A., Considerations Concerning an Active Electromagnetic Pipeline Following System, Memorandum, Naval Ocean Systems Center, December 11, 1978.
AC (850 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Experimental Autonomous Vehicle Program (EAVE), Development for Unmanned, Untethered , Submersible Technology for Inspection Tasks, R&D Program for OCS Oil and Gas Operations, USGS, November 1, 1979.
AD (362 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Blidberg, D., Allmendinger, E., Sideris, N., The Development of an Unmanned, Self-Controlled, Free-Swimming Vehicle, Proceedings, Offshore Technology Conference, 1978.
AE (241 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Blidberg, D., Westneat, S., An Unmanned Untethered Inspection Vehicle, Annual Conference, Proceedings, Marine Technology Society, 1979.
AG (2.313 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . The Engineering Design and Development of a Microcomputer Controlled Unmanned Free-Swimming Vehicle, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, December 1979.
AH (1.986 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Research and Engineering Design of a Microcomputer Controlled Unmanned Free-Swimming Vehicle, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, November, 1980.
AI (1.838 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Heckman, P. J., Free-Swimming Submersible Test Bed (EAVE WEST), NOSC-TR 622, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California, September 15, 1980.
AJ (2.478 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Bosse, P., Heckman, P. J., Development of an Underwater Manipulator for use on a Free-Swimming Unmanned Submersible, NOSC- TR 632, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California, October 1980.
AK (1.900 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Cowan, S. J., Heckman, P. J., Kono, M., Fiber Optic Communication Links for Unmanned Inspection Submersibles, NOSC-TR 652, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California, October 15, 1980.
AM (812 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . An Independent Technical Review of the Experimental Autonomous Vehicle (EAVE) Program, May 1981.
AN (156 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Second International Symposium on Unmanned, Untethered Submersible Technology, September 21-24, 1981, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire.
AO (242 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Technology Development for Unmanned, Untethered Submersible Vehicle Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, October 31, 1982.
AQ (2.833 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . EAVE System Modification for Operational Evaluation in Hostile Environments, Marine Systems Engineering Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, December 31, 1983.
AR (1.550 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Ladd, D. M., Free-Swimming Submersible Hydrodynamic Fairing Design, NOSC-TR 878, Naval Ocean System Center, San Diego, California, June 1, 1983.
AS (742 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . EAVE-East Cavitation Cleaner Feasibility Demonstration, Marine Systems Engineering Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, September 30, 1985.
AT (5.174 KB) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Technology Development for Unmanned Submersible Vehicle Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, October 31, 1982.
 

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