Mission-Compliant Optimal Sensor Formation Positioning for Range-Based Underwater Localization

This paper proposes an optimal sensor formation strategy for range-based underwater localization of a team of vehicles. The problem is addressed by considering sensor deployment area constraints typical of realistic and complex scenarios so that a mission-compliant optimal sensor formation is derived. Communication constraints, safety requirements, maximal platform speed limitations, and physical constraints imposed by the mission are explicitly incorporated into the estimation framework. The resulting problem is formulated as an unconstrained optimization problem that allows the use of global optimization tools that can numerically construct optimal placements. The approach is also extended to a more realistic scenario, in which the positions of the targets are known with some degree of uncertainty. Extensive simulations corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for different configurations involving an arbitrary number of sensors and targets. This confirmed its potential use as a pre-planning tool for realistic and practical mission scenarios.