Esta tese apresenta um procedimento de identificação experimental de coeficientes hidrodinâmicos de veículos submarinos não tripulados. Apresenta-se o desenvolvimento de uma plataforma experimental para pesquisas em dinâmica, controle e navegação de veículos submarinos. A plataforma experimental inclui: 1) um veículo submarino não tripulado semi-autônomo do tipo estrutura-aberta chamado de LAURS, 2) um sistema multissensorial e multipropulsores para o controle de movimento, e 3) software e arquitetura de controle para a aquisição de dados dos sensores e o controle de movimento. A fim de deduzir as equações do movimento dinâmico do LAURS, apresenta-se a formulação geral das equações hidrodinâmicas não lineares de um veículo submarino com seis graus de liberdade. A partir destas equações gerais acopladas, são deduzidos modelos mais simples para um grau de liberdade (movimento unidirecional) e três graus de liberdade (movimento planar) do veículo. O método de estimação de parâmetros utilizado neste trabalho não requer medidas de aceleração e é baseado na aplicação da técnica dos mínimos quadrados à forma integral das equações dinâmicas do sistema. O procedimento de identificação proposto é baseado na informação dos sensores embarcados. Primeiramente, os coeficientes de arrasto são obtidos a partir de testes de velocidade constante e depois, fixando os coeficientes de arrasto do modelo matemático com estes valores obtidos, são identificados a inércia virtual e os coeficientes de acoplamento a partir de testes de velocidade variável. Nos testes de velocidade variável são aplicadas entradas de força do tipo senoidal. Apresentam-se os valores dos coeficientes hidrodinâmicos para os movimentos de avanço, deriva, arfagem, guinada e caturro do veículo, os quais foram obtidos usando o procedimento de identificação proposto. O desempenho dos modelos dinâmicos identificados é quantitativamente comparado ao movimento do veículo observado experimentalmente. Para o caso dos testes de velocidade constante em avanço e arfagem, foi feita uma comparação dos valores dos coeficientes obtidos usando a abordagem de identificação de sistemas com os dados obtidos a partir dos ensaios de reboque em tanque de provas. Os resultados obtidos validam o procedimento de identificação proposto. Além disso, são apresentados os resultados experimentais obtidos a partir de manobras do tipo zig-zag e é feita uma discussão da identificabilidade de coeficientes de modelos acoplados. Conclui-se que o procedimento de identificação proposto é eficaz na obtenção de valores reais (consistentes com a concepção física do veículo) para os coeficientes hidrodinâmicos de veículos submarinos. A fim de modelar a força hidrodinâmica que atua no veículo em avanço com movimento oscilatório e amplitudes menores do que um comprimento característico, são apresentados os resultados dos ensaios de oscilação forçada usando um mecanismo de movimento planar (MMP). Apresentam-se os valores dos coeficientes de arrasto e de inércia obtidos a partir dos ensaios em avanço no MMP para diferentes números de Keulegan-Carpenter. Os resultados mostram que os coeficientes de arrasto e de inércia para a faixa de velocidades de 0,1 até 0,8m/s dependem fortemente do número de Keulegan-Carpenter e não do número de Reynolds. A partir destes resultados, conclui-se que a amplitude da oscilação do veículo é o principal fator que causa a variação dos coeficientes hidrodinâmicos e não a velocidade do veículo. / In this work, a procedure for experimental identification of hydrodynamic coefficients of unmanned underwater vehicles is presented. At first, the development of a testbed for research on dynamics, control, and navigation of underwater vehicles is presented. This experimental platform includes: 1) a open-frame semi-autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle named LAURS, 2) a multi-sensorial and multi-thruster system for motion control, and 3) software and control architecture for sensor data logging and motion control. In order to derive the LAURS dynamic motion equations, the general formulation of the nonlinear hydrodynamic equations of motion of an underwater vehicle with six degree of freedom is initially presented. From these general coupled equations, simpler formulations with one (unidirectional movement) and three degrees of freedom (planar movement) are derived. The parameter estimation method does not require acceleration measurements and is based on the application of the least squares technique to the integral form of the system dynamic equations. The identification procedure is based on on-board sensor data. First the drag coefficients are obtained from constant velocity tests and afterwards, fixing the drag coefficients in the mathematical model with the obtained values, virtual inertia and coupling coefficients of the vehicle are identified from variable velocity tests. In the tests of variable velocity, sinusoidal force inputs are applied. Values of hydrodynamic coefficients for surge, sway, heave, yaw, and pitch motions are estimated using the proposed identification procedure. Performance of the identified dynamic models is quantitatively compared to the experimentally observed vehicle motion. In the case of constant velocity tests, for the surge and heave motions, comparisons of the hydrodynamic drag coefficient values obtained using the system identification method with data obtained from towing tank tests are presented. Obtained results corroborate for the feasibility of the proposed identification method. Moreover, experimental results obtained from zig-zag maneuvers are presented and the identifiability of coupled dynamic models is discussed. It is possible to conclude that using the proposed method actual hydrodynamic parameters might be estimated. In order to model the hydrodynamic force that acts on the vehicle, in surge motion, with oscillatory movements and with amplitudes that are smaller than or equal to the characteristic length of the LAURS, results of forced oscillation tests in a planar motion mechanism (PMM) are presented. The drag and inertia coefficient values obtained from surge motion tests in the PMM for different Keulegan-Carpenter numbers are presented and discussed. Results illustrates that drag and inertia coefficients, when the vehicle velocity is in the range of 0,1 and 0,8m/s, do not strongly depend on the Reynolds number, however, they are strongly dependent on the Keulegan-Carpenter number. In this context, we can conclude that the oscillation amplitude is the main factor that causes the variation of hydrodynamic coefficients and not the vehicle velocity.

The use of underwater systems has grown significantly, and they can be used both for military and civilian purposes. Many of their parts are replaceable. An underwater vehicle can be equipped with different devices depending on the taskit should carry out. This can make the vehicle unbalanced, which means that the demand for balancing systems will increase in line with the increasing use of underwater systems. The goal of the thesis is to deliver a method for balancing based on parameters estimated both in static and dynamic operation. The parameters define a nonlinear physical model that can describe the underwater vehicle in different environments and conditions. The main idea in the proposed method for parameter estimation based on static operation data is to solve equilibrium equations when the on-board control system is used to maintain two different orientations. The balancing can then be done by solving an optimisation problem that gives information about where additional weights or float material should be installed. The static parameter estimation has been evaluated successfully in simulations together with three ways of solving the balancing problem. The dynamic parameter estimation has also been evaluated in simulations. In this case, the estimated parameters seem to have the same sign as the true ones but it seems difficult to obtain accurate estimates of some of the parameters. However, the total dynamic model was good except the prediction of the vertical movements. In particular, the model could explain the rotations of the vehicle well. The reason for the worse performance for the vertical movements might be some difficulties when generating suitable excitation signals. The work done by Feras Faez Elias in connection to this master thesis made a contribution to a patent application that Saab AB has filed where Feras Faez Elias was one of the inventors.

In this dissertation, we develop a new framework for 3D trajectory planning of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) in realistic ocean scenarios. The work is divided into three parts. In the first part, we provide a new approach for deterministic trajectory planning in steady current, described using Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) data. We apply a Non-Linear Programming (NLP) to the optimal-time trajectory planning problem. To demonstrate the effectivity of the resulting model, we consider the optimal time trajectory planning of an AUV operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In the second part, we generalize our 3D trajectory planning framework to time-dependent ocean currents. We also extend the framework to accommodate multi-objective criteria, focusing specifically on the Pareto front curve between time and energy. To assess the effectiveness of the extended framework, we initially test the methodology in idealized settings. The scheme is then demonstrated for time-energy trajectory planning problems in the Gulf of Aden. In the last part, we account for uncertainty in the ocean current field, is described by an ensemble of flow realizations. The proposed approach is based on a non-linear stochastic programming methodology that uses a risk-aware objective function, accounting for the full variability of the flow ensemble. We formulate stochastic problems that aim to minimize a risk measure of the travel time or energy consumption, using a flexible methodology that enables the user to explore various objectives, ranging seamlessly from risk-neutral to risk-averse. The capabilities of the approach are demonstrated using steady and transient currents. Advanced visualization tools have been further designed to simulate results.

This thesis examines two methods for monocular visual odometry, FAST + KLT and ORBSLAM2, in the case of underwater environments.This is done by implementing and testing the methods on different underwater datasets. The results for the FAST + KLT provide no evidence that this method is effective in underwater settings. However, results for the ORBSLAM2 indicate that good performance is possible whenproperly tuned and provided with good camera calibration. Still, thereremain challenges related to, for example, sand bottom environments and scale estimation in monocular setups. The conclusion is therefore that the ORBSLAM2 is the most promising method of the two tested for underwater monocular visual odometry. / Denna uppsats undersöker två metoder för monokulär visuell odometri, FAST + KLT och ORBSLAM2, i det särskilda fallet av miljöer under vatten. Detta görs genom att implementera och testa metoderna på olika undervattensdataset. Resultaten för FAST + KLT ger inget stöd för att metoden skulle vara effektiv i undervattensmiljöer. Resultaten för ORBSLAM2, däremot, indikerar att denna metod kan prestera bra om den justeras på rätt sätt och får bra kamerakalibrering. Samtidigt återstår dock utmaningar relaterade till exempelvis miljöer med sandbottnar och uppskattning av skala i monokulära setups. Slutsatsen är därför att ORBSLAM2 är den mest lovande metoden av de två testade för monokulär visuell odometri under vatten.

Reefs are an important habitat for a quarterof all forms of marine life on earth and human actions are putting them under great danger. Research portrays an exponential growth in marine tourism industry by year 2030. Unlessthis is carefully managed, tourism can pose a major threat to natural resources. The future of marine tourism is likely to be shaped by several factors like technology, environmental concerns, and changing consumer preferences. While this technology continues to advance, there may be an advancement in sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism practices, too. As a result,marine tourism operators may need to prioritize sustainable practices in order to attract and retain customers in the future. Overall, the future of marine tourism will likely be defined by a balance between technological innovation, environmental responsibility, and consumer demand. In this thesis project the author has speculatedof a future driven by government organizations and the private sectors working together to mark sustainable prospects for future goals. Sea beyond is one such stakeholder hypothetically pitched through this project which has been working towards ocean literacy for children in schools and kindergarten while aiming towards the Ocean decade challenge 2030. Another hypothetical stakeholder is Dyson, well known for vacuum cleaners and air purifiers. Engineering & design inspiration by Dyson with its advance technology helps derive a functional mobility. The project results into a holistic expedition and engagement with marine life. Systematic trails are maintained during journey without compromising any disturbance to aquatic life. Inclusivity for all- kids, adults and the elderly (even specially abled in a wheelchair) has been considered throughout the design process. The research & design approach has resulted ina mobile self-sustaining autonomous terminalthat takes passengers to different locations. A specially designed capsule- Aquapod, descends into the depth of ocean under curated parameters. The expedition takes one through a spiritual journey of excitement, awareness, educationand responsibilities. Channeling an experience from appreciation of the beautiful marine life to realizing how damages are caused by bleaching of corals. During the journey, passengers also spectate ocean cleanup project and coral farming to understand the conservation practices of today. It provides users with recreational activity along with meaningful awareness and reflect on their responsibilities. Aquapod is a product that helps in mobility, embarks on the importance through experience and gathers data for analysis. The collected data by Aquapod during each journey helps oceanographers and marine biologists for their study and research in respective fields.

Rapporten avhandlar en konceptstudie för omvandling av termisk energi till elektrisk samt mekanisk energi, i den autonoma undervattensfarkosten SAPPHIRES. Inledningsvis utreds vilka förväntningar och krav som finns på konceptet för energiomvandling samt om där finns någon publicerad litteratur som redan gjort ansträngningar för att lösa det aktuella problemet. Allmän teori kring värmemotorer och en bred, systematisk litteratursökning inkluderas även i det arbetet. Energiomvandlingen antas kunna ske enligt två fall kallade ”hög-prestanda” och ”låg/medel-prestanda”, vilka innebär att mekanisk samt elektrisk effekt, respektive endast elektrisk effekt ska kunna levereras av konceptet. De mekaniska samt elektriska effekterna ska, vidare, kunna levereras om maximalt 600, respektive 6 kW, och konceptet ska åtminstone kunna uppfylla ett av energiomvandlingsfallen. Den faktiska konceptstudien utgörs av två iterationer av konceptgenereringar, -utvärderingar och -val och de visar att ett koncept kallat ”Öppet system inspirerat av nukleär värmeframdrivning” förefaller vara det bästa sättet att omvandla termisk energi i SAPPHIRES. Därtill indikerar en mer detaljerad analys, bestående av bland annat matematisk modellering och konceptuell konstruktion, att konceptet möjligen skulle kunna uppfylla så kallad ”hög-prestanda” och sedermera leverera både mekanisk och elektrisk effekt om 600, respektive 6 kW. Mer specifikt visar en matematisk analys, med hjälp av vissa antaganden rörande konceptets funktion, att ett ”Öppet system inspirerat av nukleär värmeframdrivning” skulle kunna leverera en mekanisk effekt om 1025 kW samt en elektrisk effekt om 141 kW. En grov, konceptuell konstruktion bekräftar också att konceptets vitala, ingående komponenter faktiskt kan rymmas inom de specificerade dimensionskraven (en cylinderformad volym med en längd och diameter om 1,7, respektive 0,5 m.). Det står dock klart att de möjliga koncepten för energiomvandling kraftigt begränsas av deras möjligheter att leverera tillräcklig mekanisk effekt, för att uppnå ”hög-prestanda”. Om endast ”låg/medel-prestanda” ska uppfyllas tillåts fler av de möjliga koncepten och i ett sådant fall skulle faktorer som underhåll, miljöpåverkan och SAPPHIRES signatur kunna prioriteras i högre utsträckning. / The report discusses a concept study regarding the conversion of thermal energy into electrical and mechanical energy, in the autonomous underwater vehicle SAPPHIRES. First, the requirements and expectations regarding the concept of energy conversion are investigated and efforts are made to identify any published literature, which has already made attempts of solving the issue. General theory regarding heat engines and an extensive literature study are also included in this work. The energy conversion is assumed to perform according to two cases called "high-performance" and "low/medium-performance", meaning mechanical and electrical energy or electrical power should be delivered by the concept, respectively. More specifically, the mechanical and electrical powers should be delivered of a maximum of 600 and 6 kW, respectively and the concept should at least fulfill one of the performance settings. The actual concept study comprises of two iterations of concept generations, evaluations and selections and shows that a concept called "Open system inspired by nuclear thermal propulsion" seems to be the best way of converting thermal energy on-board SAPPHIRES. Moreover, a more detailed analysis, comprising of, inter alia, mathematical modelling and conceptual design, indicates that the concept possibly can meet the so-called "high-performance" and thus, deliver both mechanical and electrical powers of 600 and 6 kW, respectively. More specifically, a mathematical analysis, based on some assumptions regarding the concept's functionality, shows that an "Open system inspired by nuclear thermal propulsion" could deliver a mechanical power of 1025 kW and an electrical power of 141 kW. Rough conceptual design also shows that the vital parts of the concept could fit within the specified maximal dimensions (a cylinder-shaped volume with a length and diameter of 1.7 and 0.5 m, respectively). However, it is clear the possible concepts of energy conversion are severely limited by their capacities of delivering enough mechanical energy, to meet the "high-performance" demands. Assuming only the "low/medium-performance" has to be met, more possible concepts becomes available and in that case, factors such as maintenance, environmental impact and signature of SAPPHIRES could be considered to a greater extent.

A tarefa de operar um veículo submarino durante missões de inspeção de ambientes estruturados como, por exemplo, duto de usinas hidrelétricas, é feita principalmente por meio de referências visuais e uma bússola magnética. Porém alguns ambientes desse tipo podem apresentar uma combinação de baixa visibilidade e anomalias ferromagnéticas que inviabilizaria esse tipo de operação. Este trabalho, motivado pelo desenvolvimento de um veículo submarino operado remotamente (ROV) para ser usado em ambientes com essas restrições, propõe um sistema de navegação que utiliza o conhecimento prévio das dimensões do ambiente para corrigir o estado do veículo por meio da correlação dessas dimensões com os dados de um sonar de imageamento 2D. Para fazer essa correlação é utilizado o ltro de partículas, que é uma implementação não paramétrica do ltro Bayesiano. Esse ltro faz a estimação do estado com base nos métodos sequenciais de Monte Carlo e permite trabalhar de uma maneira simples com modelos não lineares. A desvantagem desse tipo de fusão sensorial é o seu alto custo computacional o que geralmente o impede de ser utilizado em aplicações de tempo real. Para que seja possível utilizar esse ltro em tempo real, será proposto neste trabalho uma implementação paralela utilizando uma unidade de processamento gráco (GPU) da NVIDIA e a arquitetura CUDA. Neste trabalho também será feito um estudo da utilização de duas congurações de sensores no sistema de navegação proposto neste trabalho. / The task of navigating a Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles (ROV) during inspection of man-made structures is performed mostly by visual references and occasionally a magnetic compass. Yet, some environments present a combination of low visibility and ferromagnetic anomalies that negates this approach. This paper, motivated by the development of a ROV designed to work on such environment, proposes a navigation method for this kind of vehicle. As the modeling of the system is nonlinear, the method proposed uses a particle lter to represent the vehicle state that is a nonparametric implementation of the Bayes lter. This method to work needs a priori knowledge of the environment map and to make the data association with this map, a 2D image sonar is used. The drawback of the sensor fusion used in this work is its high computational cost which generally prevents it from being used in real time applications. To be possible for this lter to be used in real time application, in this work is proposed a parallel implementation using a graphics processing unit (GPU) from NVIDIA and CUDA architecture. In this work is also made a study of two types of sensors conguration on the navigation system proposed in this work.

Devido à grande importância do ambiente aquático sobre a vida humana e às dificuldades inerentes ao seu estudo e exploração, a aplicação de AUVs tem se mostrado bastante benéfica e seu uso vem crescendo ao longo dos anos. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre o desenvolvimento de veículos autônomos submarinos para realização de missões oceanográficas, com foco nas características de seus sistemas embarcados que permitam atender melhor os requisitos desta aplicação. Analisando trabalhos publicados nos últimos anos pode-se notar uma grande quantidade de AUVs desenvolvidos ou adaptados para aplicações em oceanografia, com uma grande variedade de soluções aplicadas em seus diversos sistemas, visando a realização de diversos tipos de missões necessárias para tais estudos. Como estudo de caso, foi apresentada a adaptação do AUV Pirajuba, desenvolvido inicialmente como uma plataforma de testes hidrodinâmicos, para aplicação em missões de levantamento de dados para estudos oceanográficos. Para tal, foi necessário realizar uma série de modificações em seus subsistemas, permitindo a instalação de novos sensores e equipamentos para aumento da segurança nas operações em mar aberto. As modificações necessárias envolveram tanto o sistema hidromecânico do veículo, com instalação de novos módulos no casco, quanto no seu sistema embarcado, implicando no desenvolvimento de uma nova versão do sistema de hardware e uma atualização no software de controle. Tendo em vista esta necessidade, foi proposto um estudo dos requisitos da aplicação oceanográfica de AUVs e os impactos no seu desenvolvimento. Para isso, foi realizado um levantamento dos requisitos das principais aplicações oceanográficas e seus impactos no desenvolvimento dos veículos, envolvendo os sistemas hidromecânico, energia, navegação, comunicação e controle. Foi realizado também um estudo da arquitetura de controle CANARMES, desenvolvida para o AUV Pirajuba, envolvendo os requisitos de seu projeto e as principais características da arquitetura de controle, que serviu como base para a atualização do veículo para as novas aplicações. São apresentados os resultados obtidos em testes de campo realizados no litoral de Ubatuba - SP, nos quais foram feitas manobras com movimentação vertical com a aquisição de dados de diversos sensores oceanográficos, utilizados para o estudo de detecção de camadas finas. / Due to the great importance of the aquatic environment on human life and the inherent difficulties of its study and exploration, the application of AUVs has been shown to be very beneficial and its use has been growing over the years. This work presents a study on the development of autonomous submarine vehicles for the accomplishment of oceanographic missions, focusing on the characteristics of the embedded systems of these vehicles in order to better meet the application requirements. Analyzing published works in the last five years, it can be noticed a great amount of AUVs developed or adapted for applications in oceanography, with a great variety of solutions applied in their embedded systems, involving both hardware and software, aiming at the accomplishment of several types of missions necessary for such studies. As a case study, the adaptation of the AUV Pirajuba, initially developed as a platform for hydrodynamic tests, was presented for application in data collection missions for oceanographic studies. For this, it was necessary to make a series of modifications in its subsystems, allowing the installation of new sensors and equipment to increase the safety in the operations in the open sea. The necessary modifications involved both the vehicle\'s hydromechanical system, with the installation of new modules in the hull, and in its embedded system, requiring the development of a new version of the hardware system and an update in the control software. Due to this necessities, a study was proposed to better understand the requirements of AUVs for oceanographic application and the impacts on their development. For that, a survey was made of the requirements of the main oceanographic applications and their impacts on the development of the vehicles, involving the hydromechanical, energy, navigation, communication and control systems. A study of the CANARMES control architecture, developed for the Pirajuba AUV, was carried out, involving the requirements of its design and the main characteristics of the control architecture, which served as a basis for updating the vehicle for new applications. We present the results obtained in field tests conducted in the coastal area of Ubatuba - SP, Brazil, in which maneuvers were performed with vertical movement, while acquiring data from several oceanographic sensors, used for the study of thin layer detection.

The presented work focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects concerning the design and development of a formal method to build a mission control system for autonomous underwater vehicles bringing systematic design principles for the formal description of missions using Petri nets. The proposed methodology compounds Petri net building blocks within it to de_ne a mission plan for which it is proved that formal properties, such as reachability and reusability, hold as long as these same properties are also guaranteed by each Petri net building block. To simplify the de_nition of these Petri net blocks as well as their composition, a high level language called Mission Control Language has been developed. Moreover, a methodology to ensure coordination constraints for teams of multiple robots as well as the de_nition of an interface between the proposed system and an on-board planner able to plan/replan sequences of prede_ned mission plans is included as well. Results of experiments with several real underwater vehicles and simulations involving an autonomous surface craft and an autonomous underwater vehicles are presented to show the system's capabilities. / El treball presentat en aquesta tesi està centrat en el disseny i desenvolupament d'un mètode formal per a construir un sistema de control de missió per a vehicles submarins autònoms, que aporta principis sistemàtics de disseny per a la descripció formal de missions. La metodologia proposada parteix d'uns blocs elementals de construcció, descrits mitjançant xarxes de Petri. La composició d'aquests blocs entre si genera un pla de missió per el qual diverses propietats, com ara accessibilitat o reutilització, són garantides sempre i quan aquestes mateixes propietats siguin també garantides per a cada un dels blocs elementals de construcció. Per simplificar la definició d'aquests blocs, així com per simplificar-ne la seva composició, s'ha desenvolupat un llenguatge d'alt nivell anomenat Mission Control Language. A més, s'ha inclòs una metodologia per assegurar la coordinació de restriccions entre equips de múltiples robots. També s'ha establert una interfície entre el sistema proposat i un planificador a bord del vehicle capaç de planificar/replanificar seqü_encies de plans de missió prèviament definits. Per tal de demostrar les capacitats del sistema, s'han presentat resultats d'experiments amb diversos vehicles submarins reals, així com simulacions amb vehicles autònoms submarins i en superfície.

As unmanned vehicle capabilities have matured, the design and development of autonomous collaborative Systems-of-Systems (SoS) has gained increased attention. This has been motivated by the indication that significant improvements in overall effectiveness may be possible by employing many systems in cooperation with one another. However, as the potential combinations of vehicles, subsystems, and operational concepts becomes increasingly large, a systematic approach is needed for designing and analyzing alternatives. Furthermore, the discrete nature of the problem can cause variations in effectiveness that are counter-intuitive, such as a point of diminishing returns as the number of systems grows. Systems-of-systems are hierarchical in nature, consisting of top-level mission requirements that are decomposed into system- and subsystem-level performance measures. The overarching research objectives of this dissertation are to show that the analysis of alternatives should be performed at varying levels of the SoS hierarchy and to provide novel means for performing those analyses. In particular, it has been postulated that a formulation built on an energy-based approach to multi-level analysis of SoS components will enable more accurate and transparent subsystem and system trade-offs. Various steps of the design process are established and argued for or against, and significant focus is placed on the analysis of alternatives. The foundation of the new method is laid on structured SoS engineering principles. The full substance comes together by incorporating unique aspects developed within this dissertation. A new virtual experimentation approach is presented for creating sensor performance representations that are functions of vehicle operations. The sonar equation is used as a baseline sensor model for comparison against the new virtual experimentation method. Dozens of forward-looking and side-scan sonar experiments are designed, and data is provided to show the extent to which typical sensor modeling over-predicts performance without vehicle operations considered. In addition, comparisons are made between possible representations of vehicle performance. An underwater vehicle sizing and synthesis process is developed to enable comparisons between system-level component modeling approaches. The experiments attest to significant gaps in accuracy when performing sensor and operational trade-offs without energy-based modeling of the collaborative vehicles. Finally, a heuristic path-planning algorithm is formulated, and mixed-integer linear programming is used to choose between alternative SoS designs. The developed method is demonstrated through a representative example problem: a group of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) operating in a collaborative fashion to search for underwater objects. The example scenario provides an application for illustrating the phenomenon discussed in regards to the analysis of alternatives of collaborative SoS. The significance of providing more or less analytic detail is traced and the effect on mission requirements is quantified. Counter-intuitive results are highlighted, such as the observation that the increased energy required for systems to effectively collaborate can often out-weigh the benefits gained in overall mission effectiveness.