ROS multi-agent structure for autonomous surface vehicles

This work describes a multi-agent Navigation Guidance and Control system that is designed to equipping a low-cost ASV. Beside facilitating design, construction and maintenance, the multi-agent structure gives modularity and it increases reliability against partial failures. Individual agents are implemented using ROS and a dedicated, custom developed hardware board that couples an ARM processor and a microcontroller. This hybrid hardware architecture has the advantage of providing high computational capability and easy interfacing with sensors and actuators. Some results about testing and validating the NGC system are presented and discussed.