Reliability assessment of autonomous underwater vehicle operation

Autonomous underwater vehicles play a crucial role in various marine applications, including oceanographic research, environmental monitoring, underwater infrastructure inspection, and military engagements. These unmanned vehicles are meticulously designed to function autonomously, operating without the need for direct human intervention, tethering, or continuous supervision. This level of independence is critical as it enables them to navigate through challenging underwater environments and efficiently perform specific tasks. In the future, advancements are anticipated in the integration of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) with other types of unmanned vehicles, such as drones and autonomous surface vessels. This technological synergy is poised to significantly enhance their data collection capabilities, particularly in extreme and unique settings like the deep Antarctic ice and diverse oceanic ecosystems ( Yuh et al., 2011 ; Liu et al., 2016 ; Shi and Duan, 2021 ).