Method for steering an autonomous underwater vehicle along a buried object in the seabed

A method for steering an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) along a buried object below a seabed,

• the AUV being equipped with at least one acoustic transmitter for generating acoustic signal towards the buried object and the seabed;
• the method comprising:
• arranging a first sensor assembly flush with a starboard side of a hull of the AUV for recording reflected acoustic signals from the buried object and the seabed with the first sensor assembly comprising a first acoustic sensor;
• arranging a second sensor assembly flush with a port side of the hull of the AUV for recording the reflected acoustic signals from the buried object and the seabed with the second sensor assembly comprising a second acoustic sensor;
• generating an acoustic signal with a center frequency ranging between 1 kHz and 24kHz with the at least one acoustic transmitter;
• recording a reflected energy from the seabed and a reflected energy from the buried object with the first acoustic sensor and the second acoustic sensor;
• registering the reflected energy from the buried object in recorded reflected energy data provided by the first acoustic sensor and the second acoustic sensor,
• distinguishing the buried object from the seabed by a later arrival of the reflected energy from the seabed and the reflected energy from the buried object;
• determining which of the starboard side or the port side the buried object lies relative to the AUV by determining which of the first acoustic sensor or the second acoustic sensor recorded the reflected energy from the buried object first;
• and
• navigating the AUV towards the buried object based on which of the starboard side or the port side the buried object lies relative the AUV.