# A Survey on Unmanned Surface Vehicles for Disaster Robotics: Main Challenges and Directions
## 4 Use of USVs in Environmental Disasters with Contaminants
### Biological Hazards
It carries an avionics package with a recording GPS, barometric altimeter, magnetic compass, serial data link, wide-angle color camera, and transmitter to view how an algal bloom is moving and dispersing in the water, and how the OASIS \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c} \hline \hline
**Reference** & **Year** & **USV Name** & **USV Type** & **Test Location** \\ \hline
[146; 147] & 2006 & OASIS & Platform & Chincoteague Bay, USA \\
[148; 149] & 2007 & OASIS & Platform & Chesapeake Bay, USA \\
[150] & 2007 & Robotuck-II & Monohull vessel & Redondo Beach, USA \\
[151] & 2008 & MARTA/OASIS & Platform & Chesapeake Bay, USA \\
[152] & 2009 & MARTA/OASIS/RSB & Platform/Kayak & Chesapeake Bay, USA \\
[153; 154; 155; 156] & 2009 & Lake Wivenhoe ASV & Twin-hull catamaran & Lake Wivenhoe, Australia \\
[157; 158] & 2012 & Lizhbeth & Twin-hull catamaran & Lake Zurich \\
[159] & 2014 & \(NR\) & Twin-hull catamaran & Simulation \\
[160] & 2017 & \(NR\) & \(NR\) & YPacarai Lake, Paraguay (simulation) \\
[161] & 2016 & Grace & Gliding robotic fish & Wintergreen Lake, Michigan \\
[162] & 2016 & Wave glider & Solar wave glider & \(NR\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Characteristics of work related to chemical hazards grouped by task, where “NR” stands for “Not Reported”. USVs are responding to this process. Extending the idea of [PERSON] et al. [151], [PERSON] et al. [152] develop a new Robotic Sensor Boats (RSB) to integrate to MARTA. The new boats are developed with the primary focus on the sensing and navigation requirements, with the hull as a roto-molded recreational kayak that is fitted with a ducted thruster. [PERSON] [150] describes the conversion of a remote-controlled boat (Roboduck-II) into a USV capable of navigating relatively complex water bodies including lakes and marinas. The USV has GPS, a navigation system encompassing a simple stereo vision-aided framework for obstacle avoidance. Roboduck-II is used to conduct biological sampling to monitor HABs. Tests were performed at Redondo Beach, California, USA, where the sensor package was lowered up to 5 m to collect samples. [PERSON] et al. [159] develop a tracking path planning algorithm for the detection of HAB. The algorithm is tested in simulation, where they conclude that when a robot meets the first occurrence of Cochlodinium red tide, it is possible to track them and provide useful real-time environmental information. Also in simulation, [PERSON] et al. [160] aim to use USVs for detecting and monitoring the cyanobacteria in the Ypacarai Lake, in Paraguay, and visiting a ring of beacons at the shore of the lake for data delivery. This problem is modeled as a special case of the Traveling Salesman problem, where the distance should be maximized and not minimized. However, instead of cities, the problem is seen as visiting the equally spaced beacons along the border of the lake. The path planning approach uses a genetic algorithm to try to find an optimal solution. The approach is tested in simulated environments. [PERSON] et al. [158] describe the design of a USV equipped with limnological sensors to collect physicochemical data and monitoring HAB (e.g., Planktothrix, a significant producer of hepatotoxic microcystins, which can harm the liver). Results from one year of missions over Lake Zurich containing both HAB and temperature measurements, where authors argue that spatial resolution should consider different sampling depths since HAB can be found even at 20 m of depth. The authors also point out that the amount of HAB varies over time and space requiring several measurements over the year. [PERSON] et al. [161] proposed an approach using a gliding robotic fish, which is a hybrid of underwater gliders and robotic fish. The gliding robotic fish named Grace is used to detect HAB not only at the surface, but also sampling multiple water columns, providing a better assessment during field experiments involving the sampling of harmful algae concentration in the Wintergreen Lake, Michigan. As [PERSON] et al.