Study on the motion characteristics in 3D space for a hybrid-driven underwater gilder based on a folding propulsion mechanism

Abstract

This paper proposes a new approach for the description of three-dimensional motion characteristics of a hybrid-driven underwater glider (HDUG) based on a folding propulsion mechanism. HDUGs have both the high endurance of propeller-driven autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and the high mobility of buoyancy-driven underwater gliders (AUGs). We use Lagrange method build a 3D hydrodynamic model for the hybrid-driven underwater glider. Then we built a hydrodynamic model for the folding propulsion mechanism in different working conditions. And we analyze the motion characteristics of the HDUG in propeller-driven mode, buoyancy-driven mode, and hybrid-driven mode respectively. Simulation results show that in buoyancy-driven mode the HDUG has better gliding performance for propeller blades folding than that for unfolding. The maneuverability of HDUG has been improved due to the folding propulsion mechanism. The HDUG is stable in all expectation state.