| Popis: |
Closeup exploration of the seafloor requires new forms of underwater vehicles that are capable of taking off and landing on the seafloor and hovering at any attitude and that are equipped with cameras and sensors. Existing underwater vehicles do not provide an adequate platform for closeup in situ observations. This work presents the design, fabrication, control and testing of an autonomous underwater helicopter (AUH) that can perform spin turns, vertical rotation, free landing and take-off, making it the most agile underwater vehicle to date. Acoustic-optical navigation and gyroscopic stabilization systems were implemented to complete missions on a fixed route. With an underwater base station(helipad), the AUH can perform wireless power charging and data transmission. This work builds on previous generations of AUHs that were restricted to horizontal postures and lacked vectoring propulsion. Experimental results gathered from tests show that the AUH can successfully navigate along a preset route at depths ranging from 0 to 100 metres. Furthermore, with multidimensional attitude adjustment and vectoring propulsion, AUH is capable of diving into a rugged seafloor environment. This study advances what is currently achievable using traditional AUVs and ROVs, demonstrating methods that can be used in the future for studying marine science and seafloor exploration. |
