Hybrid-driven Disc-shaped Autonomous Underwater Vehicle with High Maneuverability and Gliding Capability: Design and Experiments

This paper presents the mechatronic design and implementation of a hybrid-driven disc-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle (HD-AUV). The hybrid-driven system integrates a buoyancy adjustment system and propeller thrusters, enabling the HD-AUV to achieve both high maneuverability motion and energy-ef...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE robotics and automation letters pp. 1 - 8
Main Authors: Li, Haoda, Jin, Zhihang, Huang, Jin, Liu, Zichen, Peng, Xianyu, Wang, Zhikun, Chen, Ying
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025
Subjects:
Attitude control
Buoyancy
Damping
Energy efficiency
Field Robots
Hardware-Software Integration in Robotics
Mechanism Design
Motion control
Propellers
Propulsion
Servomotors
Turning
Vectors
ISSN:2377-3766, 2377-3766
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This paper presents the mechatronic design and implementation of a hybrid-driven disc-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle (HD-AUV). The hybrid-driven system integrates a buoyancy adjustment system and propeller thrusters, enabling the HD-AUV to achieve both high maneuverability motion and energy-efficient gliding. These capabilities correspond to two distinct motion modes: AUV mode and glider mode. In AUV mode, the HD-AUV leverages the rotational symmetry of its disc-shaped design to achieve four degree-of-freedom (4-DOF) motion control. This configuration, supported by four propeller thrusters, facilitates high-maneuverability actions, including fixed-point hovering and in-place turning. In glider mode, the integration of rotatable dorsal fins and horizontal propeller thrusters enables the HD-AUV to transition seamlessly between diving and ascending phases without the conventional mass-shifting mechanisms used in torpedo-type gliders. Numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the steady glide performance of the HD-AUV, focusing on lift-to-drag ratios and hydrodynamic coefficients. Comprehensive pool experiments, encompassing multi-DOF maneuvers and gentle gliding, demonstrate the exceptional locomotion capabilities of the HD-AUV and validate the accuracy of the proposed dynamic model. These hybrid motion modes hold significant promise for underwater operations in complex seafloor environments.
ISSN:2377-3766
2377-3766
DOI:10.1109/LRA.2025.3634890