Practice of methods for remote control of walking robotic mini-dredgers moving along the bottom

Abstract

The results of experimental testing of methods for remote control of underwater walking mini-dredgers are discussed. Tests were carried out in real water conditions on the basis of a prototype of a 6-legged underwater walking vehicle. During the tests, technological operations for clearing and deepening small channels and eriks, as well as the extraction of sapropel from the bottom of the lake, were simulated. During the experiments, a mini-dredger has been controlled using video information of on-board video cameras. Due to poor visibility in the zone of hydraulic erosion of bottom soil, management was carried out in conditions of an incomplete and ambiguous understanding of the external environment. Local positioning was carried out according to natural landmarks. It is shown that fairly accurate remote control of the movement of a mini-dredger can be organized on the basis of public satellite maps of the area, even in conditions of a lack of sensory information. Moreover, the operation of an underwater dredger can be realized with minimal external control influences. The research results may be demanded in the development of walking robotic systems intended for the rehabilitation of degrading small water bodies and for other underwater technical work.