A Survey on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles: Challenges, Enabling Technologies, and Future Research Directions

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Oceanography
• Marine Engineering
• Autonomous Systems

Background:

• Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) are critical for ocean exploration, mine detection, and military surveillance.
• Their operation relies on a complex interplay of diverse technologies, including communication, propulsion, and energy systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive examination of UUV enabling technologies.
• To identify performance gaps and challenges in current UUV supporting technologies.
• To highlight future research directions for UUVs and multi-vehicle operations.

Main Methods:

• Review and analysis of existing UUV technologies and operational frameworks.
• Evaluation of technical challenges, including resource distribution models (e.g., Thorp model).
• Exploration of joint operational designs for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and UUVs.

Main Results:

• Detailed technical descriptions of UUV operational frameworks and supporting technologies.
• Identification of performance gaps in communication and energy domains.
• Analysis of challenges in implementing resource distribution models.

Conclusions:

• Significant research gaps exist in UUV supporting technologies, particularly in communication and energy.
• Collaborative operations involving UUVs, USVs, and UAVs require further research.
• Future studies should address identified challenges and explore novel solutions for enhanced UUV capabilities.