Design and Demonstration of an Underwater High-Stability Rapid Cross-Domain Unpowered Vehicle

Abstract

Unpowered vehicles are designed for subaquatic operation and are capable of operating rapidly cross-domain. This paper presents a refined and optimized design for a high-stability rapid cross-domain unpowered vehicle. The use of a compact, uniquely configured gas generator maximizes the rapidity of the ascent phase, achieving an average underwater speed of more than 3.5 m/s, all without the need for an additional propulsion system. To enhance the stability of the unpowered vehicle during the cross-domain phase, a recoil compensation deceleration device (RCDD) was engineered. This device, which uses a combination of springs and electromagnets, significantly increases both the launch capability and the attitude adjustment capability, by 50%. Furthermore, to facilitate rapid launch in real marine environments and investigate the attitudes before and after crossing domains, a rapid cross-domain launch mechanism is introduced. Through multiple sea trials, the results indicate that the unpowered vehicle can complete the launch process within 4 s under sea state 3 conditions. The unpowered vehicle provides an effective solution for rapid cross-domain operation in complex marine environments.

Keywords

• underwater vehicle
• rapid cross-domain
• rapid cross-domain motion
• ocean environments