DVL on a BlueBoat

Blue Robotics Products
1

Hello

For a special project involving our USV boats, we are looking for a professional non-GPS solution. This project takes place beneath a large floating solar park, where GPS signals are unavailable.

Normally, we rely on RTK GNSS with NTRIP correction data to achieve high-precision positioning for both our USV boats and the multibeam sonar. However, in this specific scenario, our GPS systems are not viable, and we are exploring alternative options.

We are considering equipping the BlueBoat from Blue Robotics with the DVL-A50 for accurate positioning and navigation.

Here are my questions:

  1. Is the DVL-A50 compatible with the BlueBoat and BlueOS?
  2. Does the ArduRover firmware support this configuration?
  3. Can the positioning data be transmitted via MAVLink?
2

Hi @Marcel1 -
The DVL is likely not supported by ArduRover. We’ve not tested the hardware at all with the BlueBoat!
It may be possible to use, but would likely require some software work, and the challenge will be that the skid-steer BlueBoat can’t travel with 6dof like the BlueROV2!
Maybe @williangalvani has some thoughts on what getting it to work would take?

3

Hi @Marcel1 -
I spoke with Wilian, and while we haven’t tested it, the DVL should be compatible with the BlueBoat and ArduRover! You’d need to mount it to an appropriate payload bracket, and be within 50 / 125m of the bottom depending on what model DVL you use.

An occasional GPS fix will go a long way to correcting any position error that builds up over time… I would imagine some amount of GPS signal makes it through solar panels ok?

4

Hi @tony-white ,

That would be great!
Can the integration/software setup follow the same approach as with the BlueROV2? https://bluerobotics.com/learn/dvl-a50-integration/

I also two additional questions:

  • What is your experience with the DVL on soft bottoms (e.g., silt)?
  • Does the DVL frequency interfere with the frequency of a single or multibeam sonar?