Abstract
The project Viable Alternative Mine Operating System ('VAMOS') develops a novel underwater mining technique for extracting inland mineral deposits in flooded open-cut mines. From a floating launch and recovery vessel a remotely-operated underwater mining vehicle with a roadheader cutting machine is deployed. The cut material is transported to the surface via a flexible riser hose. Since there is no direct intervisibility between the operator and the mining machine, the data of the sensor systems can only be perceived via a computer interface. Therefore, part of the efforts in the project focus on enhancing the situational awareness of the operator by providing a 3D model of the mine combined with representations of the mining equipment and sensor data. We present a method how a positioning and navigation system, perception system and mapping system can be used to create a replica of the physical system and mine environment in Virtual Reality (VR) in order to assist remote control. This approach is beneficial because it allows visualizing different sensor information and data in a consistent interface, and enables showing the complete context of the mining site even if only part of the mine is currently observed by surveying equipment. We demonstrate how the system is used during tele-operation and show results achieved during the field trials of the complete system in Silvermines, Ireland.

Abstract
The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) constitutes an effective and affordable solution to the outdoor positioning problem. When combined with precise positioning techniques, such as the real time kinematic (RTK), centimeter-level positioning accuracy becomes a reality. Such performance is suitable for a whole new range of demanding applications, including high-accuracy field robotics operations. The RTKRCV, part of the RTKLIB package, is one of the most popular open-source solutions for real-time GNSS precise positioning. Yet the lack of integration with the robot operating system (ROS), constitutes a limitation on its adoption by the robotics community. This article addresses this limitation, reporting a new implementation which brings the RTKRCV capabilities into ROS. New features, including ROS publishing and control over a ROS service, were introduced seamlessly, to ensure full compatibility with all original options. Additionally, a new observation synchronization scheme improves solution consistency, particularly relevant for the moving-baseline positioning mode. Real application examples are presented to demonstrate the advantages of our rtkrcv_ros package. For community benefit, the software was released as an open-source package.

Abstract
Emerging opportunities in the exploration of inland water bodies, such as underwater mining of flooded open pit mines, require accurate real-time positioning of multiple underwater assets. In the mining operation scenarios, operational requirements deny the application of standard acoustic positioning techniques, posing additional challenges to the localization problem. This paper presents a novel underwater localization solution, implemented for the VAMOS! project, based on the combination of raw measurements from a short baseline (SBL) array and an inverted ultrashort baseline (iUSBL). An extended Kalman filter (EKF), fusing IMU raw measurements, pressure observations, SBL ranges, and USBL directional angles, estimates the localization of an underwater mining vehicle in 6DOF. Sensor bias and the speed of sound in the water are estimated indirectly by the filter. Moreover, in order to discard acoustic outliers, due to multipath reflections in such a confined and cluttered space, a data association layer and a dynamic SBL master selection heuristic were implemented. To demonstrate the advantage of this new technique, results obtained in the field, during the VAMOS! underwater mining field trials, are presented and discussed.

Abstract
This paper presents the TURTLE hybrid robotic lander in the context of the field trials performed in the REP(MUS) 2022 military exercise. The TURTLE robot combines the characteristics and mobility of an autonomous underwater vehicle with the ones of a seabed lander, having been designed for extended permanence on the sea bottom and efficient ascending and dive to the deep sea. The REP( MUS) 2022 exercises organized by the Portuguese navy in collaboration with NATO organizations and other institutions demonstrated the large-scale use of unmanned marine systems in an operational scenario. The robotic system is presented as well as some of the results and experience from the field trials.

Abstract
This paper addresses the problem of high-bandwidth communication and data recovery from deep-sea semi-permanent robotic landers. These vehicles are suitable for long-term monitoring of underwater activities and to support the operation of other robotic assets in Operation & Maintenance (O&M) of offshore renewables. Limitations of current commu-nication solutions underwater deny the immediate transmission of the collected data to the surface, which is alternatively stored locally inside each lander. Therefore, data recovery often implies the interruption of the designated tasks so that the vehicle can return to the surface and transmit the collected data. Resorting to a short-range and high-bandwidth optical link, an alternative underwater strategy for flexible data exchange is presented. It involves the usage of an AUV satellite approaching each underwater node until an optical communication channel is established. At this point, high-bandwidth communication with the remote lander becomes available, offering the possibility to perform a variety of operations, including the download of previously recorded information, the visualisation of video streams from the lander on-board cameras, or even performing remote motion control of the lander. All these three operations were tested and validated with the experimental setup reported here. The experiments were performed in the Atlantic Ocean, at Setúbal underwater canyon, reaching the operation depth of 350m meters. Two autonomous robotic platforms were used in the experiments, namely the TURTLE3 lander and the EVA Hybrid Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Since EVA kept a tether fibre optic connection to the Mar Profundo support vessel, it was possible to establish a full communication chain between a land-based control centre and the remote underwater nodes. © 2024 IEEE.