Autonomous Hull Inspection

This proposal meets the goals of the solicitation topic N08-182 through the leveraging of technology already developed with funding from the ONR and direction of the NAVSEA Carderock Division Naval Surface Warfare Center. Through the use of the existing HullBUG platform combined with third party sensor systems, a comprehensive autonomous inspection system may be developed in a relatively short period of time that is cost effective. The HullBUG vehicle is a small (<30kg) tethered or tetherless vehicle that crawls on the underwater surface of a ship. The vehicle stays attached to the ship using a patented non-contact negative pressure device and uses soft rubber tires that do not mar or scratch the hull coating. Ship hull inspection with the HullBUG and the sensor suite allows for the assessment of the hull structure, investigation into corrosion, determination of the level of biofouling and the discovery of objects or threats that may have been attached to the hull by hostile parties. The system proposed herein provides the platform and the sensing technologies for accomplishing inspections while at sea or while moored in port.