UNDERWATER VEHICLES CONFIGURED TO PERFORM VERTICAL PROFILING AND DIAGONAL PROFILING, AND CORRESPONDING METHODS OF OPERATION

摘要

An underwater vehicle may be configured to perform vertical profiling and diagonal profiling. The vehicle may include a body having an elongated shape with a central longitudinal axis orthogonal to a central lateral axis. The vehicle may include lateral control surfaces. The lateral control surfaces may be disposed outside of the body and mechanically coupled with the body at a position proximal to the central lateral axis. The lateral control surfaces may be configured to rotate about a control axis parallel to the central lateral axis in order to control an attitude of the vehicle during ascent or descent. A given one of the lateral control surfaces may have a portion extend from the mechanical coupling in a direction perpendicular to the control axis.

主权项

1. An underwater vehicle configured to perform vertical profiling and diagonal profiling, the vehicle comprising:
a body having an elongated shape with a central longitudinal axis orthogonal to a central lateral axis, the body having an upper end on the central longitudinal axis and a lower end on the central longitudinal axis; and lateral control surfaces including a first control surface and a second control surface, the lateral control surfaces being disposed outside of the body and mechanically coupled with the body at a position proximal to the central lateral axis, the lateral control surfaces being configured to rotate about a control axis parallel to the central lateral axis in order to control an attitude of the vehicle during ascent or descent, the attitude being an inclination of one or both of the central longitudinal axis or the central lateral axis relative to one or more positional references, a given one of the lateral control surfaces having a portion extend from the mechanical coupling in a direction perpendicular to the control axis.