Adaptive Navigation Algorithm with Deep Learning for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Precise navigation is essential for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The measurement deviation of the navigation sensors, especially the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, is a crucial factor that affects the localization accuracy. Deep learning is a novel method to solve this problem. However, the calculation cycle and robustness of the deep learning method may be insufficient in practical application. This paper proposes an adaptive navigation algorithm with deep learning to address these questions and realize accurate navigation. Firstly, this algorithm uses deep learning to generate low-frequency position information to correct the error accumulation of the navigation system. Secondly, the χ2 rule is selected to judge if the Doppler velocity log (DVL) measurement fails, which could avoid interference from DVL outliers. Thirdly, the adaptive filter, based on the variational Bayesian (VB) method, is employed to estimate the navigation information simultaneous with the measurement covariance, improving navigation accuracy even more. The experimental results, based on AUV field data, show that the proposed algorithm could realize robust navigation performance and significantly improve position accuracy.