Obstacle detection and avoidance for an Autonomous Surface Vehicle using a profiling sonar

We present an experimental study of a mechanically scanned profiling sonar for Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) obstacle detection and avoidance. We extract potential obstacles from echo returns and suggest a scanning strategy for sonar in this application. We demonstrate with simulations (driven by data collected in the field) the potential for an ASV to rely solely on sonar data to navigate and avoid obstacles in a lake and harbor environment.