  We introduce a launch device, called the remotely-enabled modular release
mechanism, to augment rapid testing and prototyping of cooperative autonomy
maritime applications by facilitating autonomous deployment of an autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV) from an autonomous surface vessel (ASV). While we
focus our development on a specific application of deploying an AUV from a
catamaran style ASV, the release mechanism can be adapted to different
deployable objects and towing vehicles, such as buoys and sensors for
oceanographic surveys or mono-hull ASVs. In this paper we explore a number of
hardware and software design considerations to facilitate ease of integration
with existing maritime autonomy systems. We expound on bench tests and in-water
tests used to explore the utility of the release system and diagnose system
issues. Additionally, we make a first-principles argument, based on a
hydrodynamics physics model, for assured deployment that is virtually
independent of sea state, making the release system a suitable alternative for
different maritime applications in varying environmental conditions.
