Ok, so the heading is a little misleading. By UAV, Lockheed probably means Umanned Aquatic Vehicle. They're planning to offer this UAV for sale in late 2012. But, seriously, maybe we all need to get out of the air and into the water. Is there such a thing as FSA (Federal Submarine Authority) or does Transport Canada have regulations for submarine vehicles?
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Yes the absence of RF communications and navigation makes things more difficult under the water. This vehicle appears to have at least two acoustic transducers on the top. One is likely an acoustic communications modem, the other may be for an Ultra Short BaseLine (USBL) tracking responder. Navigation can be done a variety of ways, depending on hardware budget and required performance. This vehicle probably uses a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) to measure velocity over the ground, which can be fused with inertial sensors and magnetometers, and aided by the USBL or via time of flight from a set of surveyed transponders (Long BaseLine--LBL). If budget allows, navigation can be done with an INS box aided by the DVL.
The trick with submarines is getting them back after a crash. Lockheed will surely fight for the same regulations preventing private individuals from operating them for money.
GPS reception must suck! :)
I remember them testing AUV on one of our boats last summer funny I whould see it here
Or you could just buy one of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmiotJ6gtAI, just in case you might need to run a secret payload 2200 miles on a tank of gas without detection.
More info: http://www.zyvextech.com/media/tag/piranha/
Well LM is trying to change the meaning of already established acronyms for their own good... UAV is for air, UUV for underwater.. UAV for aquatic? ..come on.. what would be next? UAV (unmanned asphalt vehicle)? jajaj