Cooperative localization for underwater vehicles

In this paper, we propose a cooperative localization algorithm based on extended Kalman filter (EKF) for multiple underwater vehicles. Research on cooperative localization of multiple underwater vehicles is an important topic to solve the navigation problem in long range and deep sea. We investigate the improvement in navigation accuracy. In the cooperative localization structure, one master underwater vehicles is equipped with high precision navigation system as a node, and several slaver underwater vehicles are equipped with low precision navigation system. They all are equipped with acoustic device to measure relative location. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) is designed, which fuses the proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors. The research results prove that the navigation accuracy has been improved effectively by using cooperative localization method based on EKF.