The first steps…

After the Rucksack AUV proved its functionality and watertightness, the AUV-Team-TomKyle proceeded with the first field trial. Successfully! But as often the reality is something different as a testing environment: Our data transmission wire got tangeled up in boulders of the river surface. Then, our sensor board – the control center of the AUV – conked out out of nowhere. Last but not least, the robot thought at 1.20 m depth, it is at 600 m depth and tried to rescue itself in a panic.

Rucksack AUV in test basin
Retrieving the Rucksack AUV

But, after the team overcame these hurdles, the AUV showed its great maneuverability. Furthermore the team was able to capture a lot of data. Especially for a novel approach of a laser altimeter system, which is the current subject of a thesis, important real-world data could be aquired.

Optical laser altimeter

All in all the team is very satisfied with the field trial and we look forward for coming improvements and tests.

Images of the downward looking camera
Images of the forward looking camera