Control of tactical-scale, micro-unmanned surface vehicles (USVs): Ocean observations platforms systems and observations

As sensors, communications devices and automation becomes more capable and powerful, there is an increase in the use of unmanned systems of all types. This paper describes the development and testing of a micro-USV platform based around an initial design capability called EMILY, for three different applications; expeditionary science missions, littoral mapping exercises and new techniques to track hurricanes while continuously gathering data from within the eye. Each of these applications has different requirements and these are discussed briefly for the first two applications and in detail for the third, hurricane application.