Development of a robust Line Capture, Line Recovery (LCLR) technology for autonomous docking of AUVs

As AUVs continue to gain popularity around the world, the need for robust launch and recovery methods is growing as well. Larger vehicles with more capabilities are much more difficult to safely recover post-mission than smaller man-portable systems. Line Capture Line Recovery (LCLR) combines several key technologies developed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and provides the user with flexibility in terms of pick-up location and retrieval methodology. One of these key technologies is Digital Ultra-Short Baseline (D-USBL) navigation and homing. D-USBL acoustic navigation allows the vehicle to detect and home in on an acoustic transponder suspended from a vertical line. Once the line is intercepted and captured by the LCLR nose, the vehicle can be safely recovered in a variety of ways - even from a moving vessel. LCLR presents many operational benefits including moored-mission pause, robust sea-floor docking, and fully automated launch and recovery. WHOI and Hydroid are both currently incorporating LCLR into advanced launch and recovery systems which will enable fully turnkey operation of their AUVs. This will reduce the burden on the human operators and will even allow unmanned boats or vehicles to deploy and recover AUVs in virtually any area of interest.