A Report on Two Fiber-Optic-Tethered Underwater Vehicles

This paper reports the performance of two fiber optic-tethered, remote-controlled, underwater vehicle systems recently developed at the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) Hawaii Laboratory. The Fiber Optic Cable Underwater Stereo (FOCUS) vehicle, completed in September 1978, is believed to be one of the first of its kind. The Miniature Optical Stereo Evaluation System (MOSES) is summarized here, but its telemetry is reported in greater detail elsewhere in these Proceedings. Features of both vehicle systems include bidirectional trans mission over a single optical fiber, stereo tele vision viewing, and onboard energy storage for propulsion. Last year, a miniature sonar and computer-aided voice control were demonstrated with the FOCUS analog telemetry. MOSES incorporates digital telemetry and extends the length of the optical tether from 2.5 kilometers (FOCUS) to 8 kilometers.