The state of the art in key technologies for autonomous underwater vehicles: a review

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are becoming excellent tools for ocean exploration. Compared to other underwater vehicles, AUVs offer unique advantages in terms of autonomy, flexibility, and efficiency. They are used in a wide range of applications, including marine scientific research, resource exploration, and environmental monitoring. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art developments in key AUV technologies, focusing on advancements in overall design, power systems, planning and control, perception, navigation, communications, artificial intelligence in AUVs, along with their applications. The various challenges encountered in advancing these key technologies are also summarized. This paper also examines future development trends in AUV technologies to enhance the operational efficiency and reliability of AUVs for increasingly complex tasks. By summarizing the recent research on key AUV technologies, this paper aims to strengthen research in these areas and contribute to fully leveraging the advantages of AUVs for marine system development and utilization.