Underwater Navigation, Localization and Path Planning for Autonomous Vehicles: A Review

Recently, there has been increasing interest in the field of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) navigation and localization. Navigation is a critical element for AUV because of the absence of reliable positioning system and complexity of unstable environment. Precise navigation and localization is required for AUVs for positioning, tracking, control and guidance, due to impossible relying on radio communication and global positioning systems, navigation, communication and localization in underwater environment are considered as challenge. Path Planning is important and necessary for various application including AUVs, major task is to plan and manage safe and secure routes with minimum energy and cost. Acoustic system was considered as main approach but there were still some shortcomings. Researcher have explored different alternatives. A review of recent advances and future challenges are identifies to analyze and summarize these alternatives, Path planning for the multiple AUVs is discussed in detail for the both predictable and unpredictable environments also a various underwater navigation and localization algorithms are discussed.