BackAutonomous gate navigation attempt Depth hold PID response — before and after tuning
Testing·May 10, 2025
Pool Test Session: May 2025
Second pool test focused on autonomous gate navigation and PID tuning. Achieved 4 hours of water time across two sessions.
Vehicle autonomously navigating through the practice gate
Test Objectives
- Tune depth hold PID (fix oscillation from March test)
- First autonomous gate navigation attempt
- Test forward camera vision pipeline underwater
- Measure battery runtime under load
PID response graph showing depth hold improvement
Results
| Test | Status | Notes |
| Depth hold (tuned PID) | Pass | Steady hold at 2m, ±5cm oscillation |
| Gate detection | Pass | YOLOv8 detects gate at 4m range |
| Gate navigation | Partial | 3/5 successful passes, drift on approach |
| Battery runtime | Pass | 1h 48m under moderate load |
| Camera clarity | Pass | Good visibility up to 5m in pool |
Water Time Summary
- Session 1: 2.5 hours — PID tuning and depth hold validation
- Session 2: 1.5 hours — autonomous gate runs
- Total water time this test: 4 hours
- Cumulative water time (season): 7 hours
Key Takeaways
- PID tuning resolved the depth oscillation issue from March
- Gate navigation works but heading hold drifts — need DVL integration
- Battery life exceeds our 1.5 hour competition target