Amit Ray
The beginning and the end of every UUV mission are governed by the critical evolution of deployment and recovery from a mother ship. The Launch and Recovery System (LARS) is a major consideration and limiting factor for operability and safety, which have to be designed to overcome technical, operational, and environmental challenges. LARS solutions can be fixed, modular or even mobile (mounted on autonomous surface vessels). Autonomous recovery requires sophisticated underwater docking systems for AUVs. Design approaches, technology, and examples of LARS are discussed. Manipulator systems are essential for intervention tasks underwater, mainly by ROVs, but also on AUVs. Soft actuators for manipulation, as well as bio-inspired underwater robot design, are an emerging area of technological interest.