CASE STUDY 2

Advancing Autonomous Underwater Vehicles with Guardian AI

Background

Marine AI NZ embarked on a mission to demonstrate the capabilities of its Guardian AI system by transforming a tethered remotely operated vehicle (ROV) into a fully autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). This project focuses on integrating Guardian AI’s advanced planning and decision-making capabilities into the popular BlueROV2 Heavy platform.

Objective

The primary aim of this project is to retrofit the BlueROV2 Heavy, an open-source ROV, to achieve complete autonomy, showcasing Guardian AI’s proficiency in:

• Autonomous Mission Planning: Allowing the vehicle to independently plan and execute missions in real time.

• Efficient and Safe Navigation: Operating efficiently and securely in unpredictable underwater conditions.

The Solution

Marine AI NZ selected the BlueROV2 Heavy for its versatility and widespread usage. The ROV underwent substantial hardware upgrades, including the addition of sonar systems and enhanced onboard computing power to handle Guardian AI’s data processing needs.

A custom interface was also developed to integrate Guardian AI with the vehicle’s existing systems, enabling smooth communication and data exchange. The integration of Guardian AI transforms the BlueROV2 Heavy into a fully autonomous AUV capable of sophisticated mission execution.

Ongoing Development

This project continues to evolve, with further improvements and field tests planned to demonstrate Guardian AI’s full potential in autonomous underwater operations.