Energy saving benefits of path planning for autonomous underwater vehicles in marine environments with eddies of variable size

This work explores the benefits, in terms of energy cost, of path planning in marine environments showing certain spatial variability. Specifically, extensive computations have been carried out to calculate, by means of dynamic programming, optimal paths on ocean environments with eddies. The length scales of eddies are different for each environment and range from scales of tens to hundred meters. To get statistical confidence, different realizations of the eddy field and starting-ending points of the path have been considered for each environment. Results indicate that energy costs of planned paths decreases if the length scale of the eddies is increased. Substantial energy savings of planned paths compared to straight line trajectories are obtained when eddy structures are of 40 m size or greater.