Conclusion

In this article, we have seen that there is a wide variety of marine and underwater vehicles and associated equipment. The constraints are high (models difficult to characterize, numerous disturbances) and the density of information (position, perception, communication) is low. Despite these constraints, the steady technological and scientific progress made in marine and underwater robots over the last few decades means that they can now be used reliably and efficiently. The number of units sold continues to rise every year, for industrial, scientific and military applications. Vehicles capable of operating at 6,000 meters are becoming increasingly common, and AUV autonomy is growing steadily. Now is the time to develop the first humanoid underwater robot (Stanford and KAUST universities) and flotillas of vehicles. Several ambitious projects are currently under study in the latter field,...