Reliability and performance of autonomous marine vehicles are validated through experimental tests in the field and in the lab. At ITU Marine Robotics Laboratory, sensing, decision-making, and control algorithms for underwater and surface robotic systems are tested, and autonomous navigation scenarios are verified in real sea conditions and controlled environments.
Experimental test workflows start in simulation and indoor tank environments, then move to open sea and coastal waters for real-world scenarios. Sensing systems (sonar, cameras, IMU, GPS) and control software are validated at each stage. Planning and obstacle-avoidance algorithms used for autonomous navigation are tested against both static and dynamic obstacles to improve reliability.
At our lab, autonomous navigation work covers path following, mission planning, and multi-vehicle coordination. This supports both scientific output and deployable systems in marine robotics; ITU Marine Robotics Lab is positioned as a reference centre for experimental testing and autonomous navigation.