Proof of Concept and Accuracy of an LBL Underwater Positioning System

This article details the design, deployment, and proof-of-concept experiment of an innovative long base line positioning system intended to provide an effective and viable solution for positioning in subsea environments. This system represents a significant advance in ocean exploration and monitoring by offering a versatile and efficient alternative. The system's architecture consists of four drifting buoys that function as transmitters, without imposing limitations on the number of receivers, allowing an unlimited number of users to be connected, provided they have compatible receivers installed on board. Transmitters on buoys and submerged receivers are equipped with acoustic modems. The transmitters are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers to know their positions, and LoRa (Long Range, which is a radio frequency data communications technology) transceivers that perform the precise synchronization of the system through surface communication. To validate the effectiveness of the system, tests were carried out in the “Puerto Elcano,” Cadiz, Spain, where its performance in shallow waters was demonstrated. These promising results underline the system's potential to improve positioning accuracy and reliability in subsea environments.