Real-Time Benthic Target Detection and Monitoring Using a Lightweight AUV

This study addresses the challenges of monitoring benthic ecosystems using lightweight Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), focusing on the Red King Crab. We developed and validated a reactive mission control system for real-time detection and monitoring of this species, integrating search and survey patterns designed to compensate for the limitations of an underactuated AUV. The system combines a cost-effective camera with real-time inference capabilities, enabling online perception and decision-making during missions. An open-water deployment in Hokkaido, Japan demonstrated the system's operational feasibility in benthic environments. The study highlights the potential of lightweight AUVs for complex marine observation tasks, contributing to more accessible and widespread underwater research and monitoring in challenging benthic environments.