Acoustic Buoy Release for Locating Underwater Instruments

KVH Industries proposes to design and demonstrate a low cost short range acoustic buoy release system designed to locate and retrieve underwater instruments. The proposed design effort will address the problems of search rate, identification, homing, slant range measurement, localization and buoy acknowledgement. The focus of the Phase I effort will be optimization of correct response to address and command while minimizing the probability of a false trigger. The Phase I development model will consist of a waterproof, single channel, control deck unit with a sealed steering and range display and a sea floor unit. The latter unit will operate in a dual mode; a sleep mode where the unit is waiting to be called and an operational mode following awakening. This prototype effort will demonstrate the feasibility of an acoustic buoy release system for shallow water operation.