Final trials and completion of the SMIS project

The final trials of BMWi project SMIS (project duration 01/2013-06/2016) took place from 9th to 20th of May 2016 aiming at both testing and demonstrating all vehicles that where developed within the project collectively.

Together with colleagues from University of Rostock, TU Berlin, as well as participating companies Enitech and IMPaC from Rostock and Hamburg, respectively, the vehicles were tested thoroughly from a base set up at the “Kieswerk” Güttingen on the Swiss side of Lake Constance. The lakes depth of up to 251m and its mostly calm surface proved to be ideal for testing the cooperation of all SMIS-vehicles: an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) and a sea-bed-station dedicated to recharge the AUVs.
From the IPR’s point of view, focus was on applying three IPR-developed components/modules to real-world application: a trajectory controller for both AUV and USVs enabling them to follow a previously designed mission plan; an “acoustic-following”-module making the USV autonomously follow the submerged AUV through acoustic localization; and locating the SBS acoustically on the lake’s bottom.
The vehicle cooperation was then successfully demonstrated to invited guests and persons in charge from PTJ, IMPaC and Prof. Wörn from IPR, on Thursday 19th of May.
Further details regarding SMIS can be found at smis-monitoring.de.