Large Payload Delivery AUV Study
Abstract
This proposal is to study and define the criteria and development for an autonomous large payload vehicle. This is a response to the BAA call for advanced marine platform systems with applications for at-sea experimental capabilities for the ocean sciences community and which, of course, have characteristics of interest to the Office of Naval Research. In this spirit, this proposal will gather requirements and undertake the technical efforts to define an autonomous system capable of carrying a large payload and deliver that payload to a specified point on command by the user. This effort is focused on defining the elements that would develop a rangeof mission scenarios that could be undertaken with the support the large payload and delivery capability. The reason for studying alarge payload vehicle is that present day autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and glider operations have shown the usefulness of long-range and long-term autonomous systems but they have limitations due toavailable power and payload scale. As the science community moves toward the future, the need for greater spatial coverage, longer mission durations and larger payloads are capabilities that have been requested, but currently not available. Several organizations have begun to develop capabilities for increased durationand spatial coverage. The possibility of delivering a large payload has been attempted, but with the constraints afforded by the current pool of vehicles. The possibility of delivering a generic payload in scale and weight to a location determined by the user is something that has not been addressed in detail. This proposal is intended to define potential scientific missions that require a large payload and long-duration system and design the requirements and operational procedures to deliver this payload. The deliverablefor this study will be a series of quarterly reports and a final report that defines potential scientific missions that require a large and long-duration payload, a new autonomous underwater system to deliver such a payload, the concept of operations, payload bayspecifications, trim and balance requirements, and identification of sub-systems that will support this capability. The final report will also include trade studies and the associated calculations that justify posed conclusions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 09, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112372
Entities
People
- Geoff Wheat
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Alaska Fairbanks