Underwater acoustic positioning system
![Figure 1: Method of the operation of a Long Baseline (LBL) acoustic positioning system for ROV](/Images/godic/202412/19/LBL_Acoustic_Positioning_Aquamap_ROV2417.jpg")
![Figure 2a: An acoustic short baseline (SBL) positioning system was installed on the USNS Mizar during the search dives to the wreckage of the submarine USS Thresher](/Images/godic/202412/19/USNS_Mizar2417.jpg")
![Figure 2b: The bathyscaphe Trieste was guided by that acoustic positioning system to the Thresher](/Images/godic/202412/19/Bathyscaphe_Trieste2417.jpg")
![Figure 3: The Russian deep sea submersibles MIR-1 and MIR-2 searched the wreck site of the Japanese submarine I-52 in 1998. A LBL positioning system was used to guide and document the progressing search over multiple dives](/Images/godic/202412/19/Mir_front2417.jpg")
An underwater acoustic positioning system is a system for the tracking and navigation of underwater vehicles or divers by means of acoustic distance and/or direction measurements, and subsequent position triangulation. Underwater acoustic positioning systems are commonly used in a wide variety of underwater work, including oil and gas exploration, ocean sciences, salvage operations, marine archaeology, law enforcement and military activities.