Design, Analysis, and Test of a Miniaturized Air-Droppable Underwater Glider

Underwater gliders are mobile unmanned observation platforms that can observe ocean phenomena (such as turbulence and mesoscale eddies) over an extended period and a wide area at low cost. Nonetheless, Conventional underwater gliders generally require transportation by a mother ship due to their large mass, which may result in significant delays before the designated sea area. Furthermore, research vessels have limited coverage because of their stringent requirements for sea conditions. Hence, this study focuses on the design of an air-droppable underwater glider with improved impact resistance, high maneuverability, and miniaturized design to enable rapid airdrop deployment. This will decrease reliance of underwater gliders on the mother ship and significantly enhance the timeliness of ocean observation, thereby holding significant practical and academic significance.