Initial laboratory and field testing of the modulated underwater laser imaging system

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) engineers and scientists recently completed initial laboratory and field testing of the Modulated Underwater Laser Imaging System (MULIS) prototype. This represents the culmination of years of collaboration between NAWCAD, industry, and academia partners to transition NAWCAD’s radar-encoded laser imaging technology out of the lab and into the field. This paper presents results from both initial laboratory and field tests of the MULIS prototype. Laboratory tests evaluated imaging performance in a variety of simulated water clarity conditions. MULIS was then integrated into a REMUS 600 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for a field test event in the Chesapeake Bay in the summer of 2023. Multiple successful missions were run over the course of the field test, obtaining 3D imagery of the submerged objects despite the challenging water clarity conditions in the Chesapeake Bay.