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AforSSIE-15 Sea Exercises for Optimal Path Planning

Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay Region - July 2015

P.F.J. Lermusiaux, P.J. Haley, Jr., C. Mirabito,
T. Lolla, D. Subramani, A. Jain, C. Tang

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Center for Ocean Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Real-time modeling
Data sources
Autonomy preparation

AforSSIE Project Main Page
2016 Sea Exercises page

These real-time sea exercises are to further develop our multi-scale MSEAS ocean modeling systems to be used as real-time inputs to optimal path planning. The time-optimal path planning is for AUVs to intercept moving targets in the fastest time and then engage with the targets, for example, underway surface vessels. The MIT real-time exercises utilize inputs from colleagues from WHOI (Glen Gawarkiewicz and Ben Allen) and Lincoln Lab (Joe Edwards and Kristen Railey).


REMUS AUV and vehicle tracks taken during the sea exercise. Images courtesy of Kristen Railey (MIT Lincoln Lab).

Real-time MSEAS modeling and processed information

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Data sources

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Autonomy preparation

Vineyard Sound interception Buzzards Bay interception
Optimal paths for 4 independent AUVs intercepting a moving target (black) in Vineyard Sound. The target is moving northeast at approximately 1.15 kt; the maximum AUV engine speed is approximately 2 kt. All AUVs are deployed on July 16, 2015 at 1545Z. Optimal paths for 5 independent AUVs deployed at July 16, 2015 at 1545Z from Vineyard Sound intercepting a moving target (black) located in Buzzards Bay. The target is moving southwest at 3 kt; the maximum AUV engine speed is approximately 2 kt.
Optimal routes of interception Paths most affected by current or coast
Level set propagation and color-coded optimal routes for a single AUV launched from a point near Menemsha, MA intercepting a ship in Buzzards Bay. The maximum AUV engine speed is approximately 3.9 kt. The effect of currents is ignored. Time-optimal AUV paths most affected by the current and/or coastal geometry at each starting point (blue), with the path most affected of these indicated in red. The maximum AUV engine speed is approximately 1 kt.

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