History

The links below show the evolution of our AUV design including sketches, renderings, physical prototypes, and our current status. Each Heading is a link to a new page, click to see more pictures and information.

Note: This history currently chronicles just the evolution of our first AUV Tortuga I

September 2007

coming soon!

August 2007

planning demo day for September

July 2007

Final preparations for the summers Competition
AUV2007 in San Diego!
Retrospective meeting

June 2007

Hull fully assembled
Thermal Testing of Mac Mini and Sensor Board in Hull

Mac Mini in Hull submerged at the NBRF during thermal testing

Mounting parts for LCD and tube restarint brackets machine and mounted.
Camera housing completed and tested with successful video runs.

Vehicle Assembled with everything but hyrdophones

May 2007-Assembly

CNC milling of endcaps
AUV assembled with thrusters and begins to look like the real thing
80/20 frame with thrusters mounted

April 2007-Prototypes and Testing

Thrusters tested and calibrated
depth sensor tested and calibrated
IMU ordered
Significant vision software progress
Sensor and data board finished
One end cap finished by hand on IREAP mill
Marker dropper protype built and tested.

March 2007-Development

Hyrdophones arrive and are tested
More machining expertise gained
Sensor board development begins
Data bus begins development
Battery balancer board development
Significant machining work
Ultrasonic emitters borrowed for hydrophone testing

February 2007-Training

SONAR developement
Machine shop training

January 2007-Design

Completed the KISS design for the AUV. Features:

Aluminum external superstructure.
Four mounted vertical & lateral thrusters.
Pressurized hull for electronic components.
Front mounted cameras.

October 2006-Research

Sketches for Submarine and continued research on components and AUV specs.