Raya: A Bio-Inspired AUV for Inspection and Intervention of Underwater Structures
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This work presents a bio-inspired Autonomous UnderwaterVehicle (AUV) concept called Raya that enables high manoeuvrability required for close-range inspection and intervention tasks, while fostering endurance for long-range operations by enabling efficient navigation. The AUV has an estimated terminal velocity of 0.82 m/s in an optimal environment, and a capacity to acquire visual data and sonar measurements in all directions. Raya was designed with the potential to incorporate an electric manipulator arm of 6 degrees of freedom (DoF) for free-floating underwater intervention. Smart and biologically inspired principles applied to morphology and a strategic thruster configuration assure that Raya is capable of manoeuvring in all 6 DoFs even when equipped with a manipulator with a 5 kg payload. Extensive experiments were conducted using simulation tools and real-life environments to validate Raya’s requirements and functionalities. The stresses and displacements of the rigid bodies were analysed using finite element analysis (FEA), and an estimation of the terminal forward velocity was achieved using a dynamic model. To assess the accuracy of the perception system, a reconstruction task took place in an indoor pool, resulting in a 3D reconstruction with average length, width, and depth errors below1. 5%. The deployment of Raya in theATLANTIS Coastal Testbed and Porto de Leixões allowed the validation of the propulsion system and the gathering of valuable 2D and 3D data, thus proving the suitability of the vehicle for operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of underwater structures.
Source: IEEE Access
Language: English
Subfield: Ocean Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,075
Awards: G1374492097, Automated Inspection Robots for Surface, Aerial and Underwater Substructures, G3570962357, Perception-based Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Navigation for Close-range Inspection of Offshore Structures, Towards reconfigurable underwater robots for intervention operations., G8179196250
OpenAlex ID: W4409426684