In the summer and fall of 2022, I had the opportunity to work at Applied Research Laboratories (ARL) and design an autonomous unmanned surf vessel (USV). While the controlled nature of this work due to ARL’s navy contract prevents me from sharing many details, some slides and images were approved for public release and showcase my work on this project.
My project for the summer was to develop a USV that would be used as a test bed for my team’s work in autonomous marine navigation engines. This project required skills from many engineering disciplines. I used mechanical design skills and CAD modeling to create mounting solutions for motors, hardware, and electronics. The project also required electronics experience to plan, cut, solder, and crimp all the necessary connections. Finally, the project required software skills for integrating the navigation controller and tuning PID loops to improve response.
I continued working with ARL during the fall semester and was able to design an upgraded version of the vehicle that addressed several issues of the first iteration. This version had an IP67 waterproof rating, allowing the vessle to be tested in harsher water conditions. It also had a 20% higher top speed, increased wireless connection range, and better thermal regulation.
The culmination of my work at ARL was a full-length mission simulation on Lake Travis. The USV cruised through the lake for over an hour, following its pre-planned mission with no human interference and no in-mission issues.
The experience at ARL significantly contributed to my growth as an engineer, sharpening my problem-solving skills and expanding my knowledge of autonomous systems.
