Unmanned underwater vehicle
Example embodiments provide a propulsion system apparatus, an underwater apparatus comprising a propulsion system, and a method for propelling underwater. According to an example embodiment, a propulsion system may comprise a movable weight unit configured to control pitch by shifting weight along a first axis to move center of gravity along the first axis, and a thruster unit fixed at a non-zero angle relative to the first axis and configured to provide thrust along the first axis and further control the pitch alongside the movable weight unit. The thruster unit may be further configured to provide differential thrust to control yaw along a second axis.
1 . A propulsion system comprising:
a movable weight unit comprising a weight within an internal body, the movable weight unit configured to control pitch by shifting the weight along a first axis, which is across a distance of the internal body, in order to move center of gravity along the first axis; and
a thruster unit fixed at a non-zero angle relative to the first axis and configured to provide thrust along the first axis and further control the pitch alongside the movable weight unit,
wherein the thruster unit is further configured to provide differential thrust to control yaw along a second axis,
wherein the thruster unit does not have any appendages and is entirely within the diameter of a vehicle body.
2 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the thruster unit comprises a first thruster and a second thruster, each being fixed, angled with respect to azimuth in order to control the yaw, and angled relative to the first axis in order to control the pitch.
3 . The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein each of the first thruster and the second thruster comprises:
a propeller configured to provide thrust;
a propeller cover surrounding the propeller;
a propeller motor shaft connected to the propeller and to a motor driving the propeller; and
a fixed support preventing movement,
wherein the first thruster and the second thruster are connected to a base that is attached to the vehicle body.
4 . The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the first thruster is on a starboard side and the second thruster is on a port side.
5 . The propulsion system of claim 4 , wherein the first thruster and the second thruster are configured to facilitate the differential thrust through at least,
a first operation by activating the first thruster to enable thrust along the first angle and a first yaw angle,
a second operation by activating the second thruster to enable thrust along the first angle and a second yaw angle,
a third operation by activating the first thruster and the second thruster in a same direction to facilitate thrust along the first angle and a zero or near-zero yaw, and
a fourth operation by the first thruster and the second thruster in opposite directions to facilitate zero or near-zero thrust and a third yaw angle.
6 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the movable weight unit is a movable ballast unit.
7 . The propulsion system of claim 6 , the movable ballast unit comprising:
a ballast cavity with a length along the first axis,
a ballast weight within the cavity that is configured to move along the length of the cavity, and
a ballast screw traversing the cavity and the weight and configured to rotate,
wherein rotation of the screw facilitates movement of the ballast weight along the axis with in the ballast cavity and controls the pitch.
8 . The propulsion system of claim 7 , wherein the movable ballast unit is configured to facilitate pitch changes through at least,
a first pitch operation by moving the ballast weight in a forward direction to enable a first pitch angle,
a second pitch operation by moving the ballast weight in a forward direction and activating the thruster unit to enable a second pitch angle that is zero or near-zero,
a third pitch operation by moving the ballast weight in an aft direction to enable a third pitch angle, and
a fourth pitch operation by moving the ballast weight in an aft direction and activating the thruster unit to enable a fourth pitch angle that is greater than the third pitch angle.
9 . An underwater apparatus comprising:
a nose cone at a bow of the underwater apparatus;
an apparatus body with a length along a first axis and configured to house a plurality of units;
a propulsion system connected to the apparatus body at a stern of the underwater vehicle and configured to control thrust, pitch, and yaw of the underwater apparatus; and
a controller configured to control the propulsion system and the plurality of units,
wherein the propulsion system comprises
a movable weight unit comprising a weight within an internal body, the movable weight unit configured to control the pitch by shifting the weight along a first axis, which is across a distance of the internal body, in order to move center of gravity along the first axis;
a thruster unit fixed at a non-zero angle relative to the first axis and configured to provide the thrust along the first axis and further control the pitch alongside the movable weight unit, wherein the thruster unit is further configured to provide differential thrust to control the yaw along a second axis, and
wherein the thruster unit does not have any appendages and is entirely within the diameter of the underwater apparatus.
10 . The underwater apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the thruster unit comprises a first thruster and a second thruster, each being fixed, angled with respect to azimuth in order to control the yaw, and angled relative to the first axis in order to control the pitch.
11 . The propulsion system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first thruster and the second thruster comprises:
a propeller configured to provide thrust;
a propeller cover surrounding the propeller;
a propeller motor shaft connected to the propeller and to a motor driving the propeller; and
a fixed support preventing movement,
wherein the first thruster and the second thruster are connected to a base that is attached to the apparatus body.
12 . The underwater apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the movable weight unit is a movable ballast unit.
13 . The underwater apparatus of claim 12 , the movable ballast unit comprising:
a ballast cavity with a length along the first axis,
a ballast weight within the cavity that is configured to move along the length of the cavity, and
a ballast screw traversing the cavity and the weight and configured to rotate,
wherein rotation of the screw facilitates movement of the ballast weight along the axis within the ballast cavity and controls the pitch.
14 . The underwater apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of units includes at least an antenna unit, a power supply unit, at least one sensor unit, and a motor unit.
15 . The underwater apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the underwater apparatus independently and through the use of computer algorithms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or a combination thereof.
16 . A method for propelling underwater comprising:
controlling pitch of an underwater vehicle by a movable weight unit, the movable weight unit comprising a weight within an internal body, the movable weight unit shifting the weight along a first axis, which is across a distance of the internal body, in order to move center of gravity along the first axis;
providing thrust along the first axis and further controlling the pitch alongside the movable weight unit, and
providing differential thrust to control yaw along a second axis,
wherein the controlling pitch step, the providing thrust step, and the providing differential thrust step are performed by a thruster unit, the thruster unit lacking appendages and being entirely within the diameter of the underwater vehicle.