Using Field Subspaces for On-Line Survey Guidance

We address the problem of surveying of oceanic parameters using autonomous instrumented mobile platforms. As an example, we consider the problem of current mapping in coastal areas. We study the impact on survey efficiency of using a priori knowledge concerning the surveyed field for on-line guidance of the sensors, as an alternative to the classical approach of executing a predefined trajectory, or to the more recently proposed perception-driven observation strategies. Availability of this a priori model enables extrapolation of the measurements, as well as the determination of the information yield by future observations, allowing the search for the best next observation point. In the paper, we present simulation results of the proposed on-line guidance based on information gain, and compare its efficiency to standard survey strategies.