Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields

Zhang, Gengming; Zhang, Lihua; Wang, Yitao; Kang, Chunyu; Zhou, Yinfei; Ma, Xiaodong; Dai, Zeyuan; Wu, Shaxige

doi:10.3390/jmse13061020

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Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields

by

Gengming Zhang

¹

,

Lihua Zhang

^1,*,

Yitao Wang

^2,*,

Chunyu Kang

³,

Yinfei Zhou

¹

,

Xiaodong Ma

^1,†,

Zeyuan Dai

¹ and

Shaxige Wu

^1,†

¹

Department of Military Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, China

²

Software and Simulation Institute, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, China

³

Department of Water Weapons and Chemical Protection, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(6), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061020

Submission received: 25 March 2025 / Revised: 21 May 2025 / Accepted: 22 May 2025 / Published: 23 May 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research in Marine Environmental and Fisheries Acoustics)

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Abstract

To tackle the problem of existing underwater vehicle covert path planning methods ignoring ambient noise fields, an automated path planning method based on a statistically characterized environmental noise field is proposed. The method involves constructing a background noise spectrum level model using Automatic Identification System (AIS) data and wind speed data. Then, a Range-Dependent Acoustic Model (RAM) is integrated to generate a statistically significant 10th percentile noise field. The result is subsequently incorporated into the sonar equation to develop a noise-considerate concealment effectiveness model, which serves as input for a noise-considerate A* path planning algorithm. Comparative analyses of path planning results demonstrate that, within the studied maritime domain, the noise-prioritized path exhibits a statistically significant reduction in the median detection range by approximately 17%, a 50% reduction in the minimum detection range, and a 20% reduction in the maximum detection range, relative to alternative paths planned with a fixed noise level assumption.

Keywords: ship noise; wind-generated noise; covert path; underwater vehicle

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, G.; Zhang, L.; Wang, Y.; Kang, C.; Zhou, Y.; Ma, X.; Dai, Z.; Wu, S. Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 1020. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061020

AMA Style

Zhang G, Zhang L, Wang Y, Kang C, Zhou Y, Ma X, Dai Z, Wu S. Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(6):1020. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061020

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Gengming, Lihua Zhang, Yitao Wang, Chunyu Kang, Yinfei Zhou, Xiaodong Ma, Zeyuan Dai, and Shaxige Wu. 2025. "Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 6: 1020. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061020

APA Style

Zhang, G., Zhang, L., Wang, Y., Kang, C., Zhou, Y., Ma, X., Dai, Z., & Wu, S. (2025). Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(6), 1020. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061020

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Method for Automatic Path Planning of Underwater Vehicles Considering Ambient Noise Fields

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