Abstract
This paper describes the design, fabrication, and field testing plans of a 1:2 Froude-scale prototype of a Platform for Expanding AUV exploRation to Longer ranges (PEARL). PEARL is an autonomous floating platform that utilizes renewable energy to recharge docked AUVs, while simultaneously uploading their mission data to a high-bandwidth low-Earth orbit satellite constellation for remote access and monitoring. The prototype has a diameter of 2.28 m, a draft of 1.04 m, and a mass of 147.42 kg. It is equipped with two 110 W solar panels, a 100 Ah battery, and two 205 N (46 lbf) electric trolling motors. A suite of environmental sensors are integrated on the platform constantly measuring air and water quantities to mimic the data transfer needs of an AUV. The prototype was field tested for six months in Deep Pond in Orleans, MA to test solar power generation, autonomous data logging, autonomous data transmission via the Iridium satellite network, and autonomous manuevering via MOOS-IvP.
