Research on Landing Strategy and Influencing Factors of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle with Supporting Mechanism

Conception and working process of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that can park on the seabed were introduced briefly. Kinematic and dynamic mathematical models of the AUV spatial motion were established based on basic mechanics theory. Combined with the characteristics of this AUV, forces' mathematic models of variable buoyancy system and vertical thrusters were established, and control algorithm of vertical-thrusters was designed. Based on this, landing simulation model was established. Four landing strategies of the AUV with supporting mechanism were proposed: diving freely with negative buoyancy, diving freely with supporting mechanics with negative buoyancy, diving under the control of vertical thrusters and diving with supporting mechanics under the control of vertical thrusters. On this basis, the impact of mass and position of water injected into the AUV on landing parameters were studied. Finally, the influences of supporting mechanism and vertical thrusters were analyzed through comparing different landing strategies. Results in this paper provide theoretical basis to landing program design and improvement of the AUV.