Key Features of the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Marine Surveillance Missions

This paper gives an overview of autonomous underwater vehicles’ (AUVs’) applications, shapes due to the specific kinetic and dynamic requirements, state estimation, control, navigation and communication principles. The emphasize is put on AUVs deployed within EU Horizon 2020 COMPASS2020 (Coordination Of Maritime assets for Persistent And Systematic Surveillance 2020) project for marine surveillance and reconnaissance missions in European seas. Basic data facts on the AUVs delivered by ECA Group are given, along with some general directions for further research in the filed with the aim of achieving more efficient and environmental friendly underwater missions in the future.