Coordinating Multiple Autonomies to Improve Mission Performance

Research in marine autonomy has traditionally involved development around a single autonomy architecture. Even when an architecture is open and modular, modules are typically all integrated into a single architecture. In this paper, an approach is considered that couples two distinct and mature architectures into a single combined autonomy system that leverages the strengths of both singular architectures to produce a more complete and capable system. In this work, the two autonomy architectures, SeeByte's Neptune, and MIT's MOOSIvP, are combined via a shared interface to leverage SeeByte's mission path-planning and exclusion zone capabilities along with the reactive path execution with obstacle and collision avoidance behaviors of MOOS-IvP. Results are reported from simulation and on-water tests held on the Charles River in Cambridge MA during July 2021. The Neptune/IvP combined system was deployed on MIT's autonomous Boston Whaler and used to perform a safe crossing in a busy and dynamic environment.