Deliverable ISSIA 3.4 RITMARE

This document describes the prototype of an automated winch designed to be installed on the U-SWATH. This system is studied with the purpose of allowing the U-SWATH to autonomously deploying and recovering smaller autonomous vehicles transported on the plastform. In this way it is possible to make a step forward in the direction of the marsupial robotics; one master robot able to transport smaller autonomous vehicles permits the cooperation and the wide coverage of an inspected zone by adopting various propulsion layouts or systems. A particular aspect to be taken into account is the interaction of robots to take the best of the complementary visual perspectives they have of the environment. The goal is to use an underwater robot and an aerial drone. In the application scenario, the robotic team, moving ensemble, assesses a series of environmental variables.