Abstract
This work presents a novel digital twin for an underwater vehicle manipulator system (UVMS). The twin represents a framework for low cost UVMS and builds on the BlueROV2 and the SeaArm-2 manipulator. UVMS’s are currently applied in ocean interventions and the presented platform enables testing and verification of intervention methods in subsea inspection, maintenance and repair operations. The UVMS twin represents an excellent research platform for such systems as it is low cost with highly accessible and customizable software. The paper further presents a platform for the UVMS where the robotic system is modeled in the Gazebo simulator. The Marine Cybernetics laboratory at NTNU is modeled and the UVMS can be deployed into this environment for testing before deployed in real world experiments. The twin represents a simulator which offers a base where overall system, control system, communication, etc. can be tested before progressing to real world experiments. The low cost of the equipment is essential to perform experiments and tests of subsea intervention efficiently and at a sustainable cost.