How-to AUV - Setup

The setup of the Sabertooth is used as an example on this page. It is possible that other systems use different systems that are not supported by Qinsy. To make sure that the used systems can be interfaced by Qinsy, please check the Drivers Manual.
If the system is not listed in the Drivers Manual, please check the output message of the system. Some systems can output multiple formats, and it can well be that another driver can decode this message.

Info

Please contact QPS Support or create a JIRA support ticket to verify whether Qinsy can decode a particular system.

On this page:

Positioning

There are two typical situations where an AUV can be used: for shallow water surveys and for deep water surveys. Please check the page 'How-to AUV' for the descriptions about typical AUV missions.

INS

A INS system will receive its data from several systems like a depth sensor, ADCP, USBL, GNSS or LBL system. The INS will combine all the data that is received by the system, and will send the positioning data to Qinsy.
It is possible to interface all the systems in Qinsy but the setup will be more advanced than when the data is send by the INS to Qinsy. The system will receive GNSS positioning data when the AUV is surfaced and will use other systems for positioning when the system is under water (depth sensor, LBL, ADCP or USBL).

The PHINS, for example, will receive all the information from the sensors and will send a simple NMEA string to Qinsy. However, for QC/QA is it possible to interface all the systems that are needed for positioning in the database.

For suggested drivers see the Drivers section below.

Motion sensor

Motion is sent by the mission computer to Qinsy, and can be decoded in Qinsy by adding a motion sensor and selecting the right driver.
It is important to check if the lever arm is defined and applied to the data in the mission computer or in Qinsy. Motion artefacts can occur when the lever arm is applied in the system and in Qinsy again.
It is advised to apply the lever arm of the motion sensor in the mission computer, because this data is also used by the mission computer.

Make sure that the Roll, Pitch and Heave conventions are the same as what is sent by the motion sensor to Qinsy.
Don't change these conventions in the motion sensor before checking the needed conventions for the mission computer, but change them in Qinsy.
It is always possible to replay all the recorded data with different conventions in Qinsy.

For suggested drivers see the Drivers section below.

Gyro compass

Heading data is also send by the system to Qinsy. It depends on the message that is send from the Mission computer if the heading data is included in the motion data or in the positioning data.
Add a Gyro compass system to the Database Setup and select the driver that can decode the data.

For suggested drivers see the Drivers section below.

Multibeam Echosounders

A Multibeam Echosounder system is mounted on the AUV for bathy recording or pipe tracking. Please check the page 'Pipeline detection' about how to set up the pipe tracking online.
Some drivers have the option to control the system by Qinsy. With this possibility it is possible to turn the system on and or off during a mission. This can be defined in the mission that is created in the mission planner.
The mission computer will trigger Qinsy, and Qinsy will turn the system on or off. When adding a Multibeam Echosounder system, please check if the option 'Control system from Qinsy' is available (R2Sonic for example), and enable this option.
Some options like the range and the frequency can be set by the Mission Planner through Qinsy.

Warning

Some systems, like the R2Sonic, have their own Graphical User Interface (GUI). Interference can occur when Qinsy is controlling the system and the GUI is still open.

It is advised for the R2Sonic to close down the GUI after starting the system, and to control the system through Qinsy.

SideScan Sonar

Like the Multibeam Echo Sounder, the SideScan sonar is added to the template of Qinsy.
When adding a SideScan Sonar to Qinsy, make sure that the same number of channels are added to the setup and that the right slot ID is given to the channels.
Please check the Drivers Manual of the system for the slot ID values.
Some drivers have the option to control the system by Qinsy and this can be recognised by the checked and greyed out box called 'Control system from Qinsy'. It is not possible to 'uncheck' this option.

When a SideScan Sonar system is used which also contains a Sub Bottom Profiler system or a Multibeam Ecosounder system, just right click on the SideScanSonar system and select the system that needs to be interfaced.
The IP address and driver will be selected automatically.

Sub Bottom Profiler

When a Sub Bottom Profiler is added to the setup in Qinsy, make sure that the right IP address and port number are defined in the setup.

Time Synchronization system

Timing can be obtained by different systems, directly from a system to a com port or through a message that is sent to the positioning system which contains a ZDA message.
It is advised to disable the option 'Disable Windows system synchronization' because Qinsy will synchronize the Windows clock to the PPS time.
Only enable this option when another system is already synchronizing the Windows clock.

Miscellaneous System

Communication drivers

Qinsy will receive commands from the Mission Planner and Qinsy will send information back to the Mission Planner.
In the meantime, Qinsy is controlling several systems like the MBES and the SSS. The Mission Planner will send a command to Qinsy and Qinsy will send a command to the system.
The following drivers are necessary for the mutual communication.

Qinsy remote control driver

The Qinsy remote control driver will be added to the template database, if there is no possibility to reach the vehicle during its autonomous missions.
With this driver, it's possible to control Qinsy through the software that controls the AUV during the autonomous missions.
A full description about the Qinsy Remote Control Driver can be found in the Drivers Manual in Qinsy : Remote Control - TCP Server (Network) - 23.

This driver can be used to command the Controller to start or stop logging and to shut down Qinsy.
With the Start logging command also the name of the recording database can be set. In addition the driver will report an overall status which gives the status of logging and the IO status.
The driver can be used to communicate with an external controller, for instance on an AUV.

In some cases, it is also possible to set the range through the Remote Control driver. More about this function can be found in the topic 'Online - Setting device settings' below.

Output driver to communicate with the Mission computer (planning)

This driver can be used to command the Controller to start or stop logging and to shut down Qinsy. With the Start logging command also the name of the recording database can be set. In addition the driver will report an overall status which gives the status of logging and the IO status.
The driver can be used to communicate with an external controller, for instance on an AUV. More about this driver can be found in the description of the : Remote Control - TCP Server (Network) - 23

System recording settings

For some sensors, it is possible to set the device settings like range or which channels need to be started in Qinsy.
Qinsy will send this information through to the sensor where it will be applied. For example with the Carus software of Saab, it is possible to send a message to Qinsy to set the range of a system, and Qinsy will pass it on to the system.
Please check if the option 'Control system from Qinsy' is selected in the template setup to get this functionality.

Info

Not all systems have the option 'Control system from Qinsy'.
Examples of systems that have this option are the Edgetech Side Scan Sonar, Edgetech Sub Bottom Profiler, R2Sonic Multibeam System and Geoswatch sonar.
Please check the driver of the system to check if this option is present.

Drivers