Operator-aided Autonomous Recovery System (OARS)

The U.S. Navy’s plans for addressing asymmetric threats of the twenty-first century relies heavily on Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and manned Organic Offboard Vehicles (OOVs) for reconnaissance, force protection, mine detection, special operations, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence collection mission. Rapid launch and recovery of these vehicles will be critical to mission success. Currently, mechanical recovery techniques are highly dependent upon the unique operator controls resident on each watercraft to guide the vehicle into a final recovery position. In the case of USVs, the operator is hampered by limited sight lines to the incoming vehicle and surrounding seas, and has a challenging “reverse-perspective” for controlling the incoming vehicle. This current process results in operational limitations, increased recovery timelines, and increased risk of damage to the deployed vehicle and the ship. Robotic Research, LLC in partnership with General Dynamics Robotic Systems (GDRS), proposes the development of the Operator-aided Autonomous Recovery System (OARS), a standard control system for recovery of USVs and manned OOVs from a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). OARS will make use of an established Hierarchical Control Architecture and Tactical Control Unit that have been effectively used for the control of several successful Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs).