Development of a Cost-Effective UUV Localisation System Integrable with Aquaculture Infrastructure
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In many aquaculture farms, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) are being deployed to perform dangerous and time-consuming repetitive tasks (e.g., fish net-pen visual inspection) on behalf of or in collaboration with farm operators. Mostly, they are remotely operated, and one of the main barriers to deploying them autonomously is the UUV localisation. Specifically, the cost of the localisation sensor suite, sensor reliability in constrained operational workspace and return on investment (ROI) for the huge initial investment on the UUV and its localisation hinder the R&D work and adoption of the autonomous UUV deployment on an industrial scale. The proposed system, which leverages the AprilTag (a fiducial marker used as a frame of reference) detection, provides cost-effective UUV localisation for the initial trials of autonomous UUV deployment, requiring only minor modifications to the aquaculture infrastructure. With such a cost-effective approach, UUV R&D engineers can demonstrate and validate the advantages and challenges of autonomous UUV deployment to farm operators, policymakers, and governing authorities to make informed decision-making for the future large-scale adoption of autonomous UUVs in aquaculture. Initial validation of the proposed cost-effective localisation system indicates that centimetre-level accuracy can be achieved with a single monocular camera and only 10 AprilTags, without requiring physical measurements, in a 115.46 m3 laboratory workspace under various lighting conditions.
DOI: 10.3390/jmse14020115
Authors: Thein Than Tun, Loulin Huang, Mark Anthony Preece
Institution: Auckland University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Ocean Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
Award: G1224465954
OpenAlex ID: W7118487669