Tunneling and navigation system including distributed communication and sensing system

A tunneling device comprising:

• a body assembly comprising a plurality of separate sections and configured to move through an interior cavity of a tunnel;
• at least a first beacon and a second beacon coupled to separate sections of the body assembly at spaced apart locations, and communicatively coupled to at least a third beacon and a fourth beacon positioned outside of the tunnel at distinct locations;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the first beacon, second beacon, third beacon and fourth beacon, and configured to:
• compare a first signal transmitted by at least one of the first beacon and the second beacon to a second signal transmitted by at least one of the third beacon and the fourth beacon;
• determine an environmental characteristic of the tunnel based on the first signal and the second signal;
• and
• determine an operating parameter for said tunneling device based on the environmental characteristic.

A method for detecting operating parameters and/or environmental characteristics of an underground location comprising:

• positioning a tunneling device within an interior cavity of a tunnel, the tunneling device including a body assembly comprising a plurality of separate sections and configured to move through the interior cavity of the tunnel;
• transmitting a first signal from at least one of a first beacon and a second beacon coupled to the separate sections of the body assembly at spaced apart locations to at least one of a third beacon and a fourth beacon positioned at distinct locations outside of the tunnel;
• transmitting a second signal from at least one of the third beacon and the fourth beacon to at least one of the first beacon and the second beacon;
• comparing, by a controller, the first signal to the second signal;
• determining, by the controller, an environmental characteristic of the tunnel based on the first signal and the second signal;
• and
• determining, by the controller, an operating parameter for the tunneling device based on the environmental characteristic.