Cross Body Thruster Control and Modeling of a Body of Revolution Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Cross body thrusters permit a body of revolution Autonomous Underwater Vehicle to retain the energy efficiency of forward travel while increasing the ability to maneuver in confined areas such as harbors and piers. This maneuverability also permits more deliberate underwater surveys using a fixed, mounted forward and downward looking sonar. This work develops the necessary hydrodynamic coefficients, using methods applied to earlier vehicles, to develop a valid computer simulation model. Additionally,
this work develops a polynomial regression translating thruster input in RPM to an applied force output, which is incorporated into the vehicle model. This model is then employed to examine the response and control, specifically at low speed, of a body of revolution Autonomous Underwater Vehicle equipped with off-axis cross-body thrusters. These results are then utilized to develop
a series of PID controllers for use onboard the REMUS Autonomous underwater Vehicle.