Mechanical Design of a Trawl-Resistant Self-Mooring Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Abstract

The Virginia Tech Trawl-Resistant Self-Mooring Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (TRSMAUV) is designed to reside on the seafloor for extended periods of time. The TRSMAUV shape allows for deployment in areas where trawl fisheries are conducted. TRSMAUV is a two stage vehicle. The ingress vehicle is the delivery device, and it is constructed from two symmetric halves. The top half contains the ingress vehicle propulsion system and control surfaces. The bottom half is the trawl-resistant mooring package. A smaller vehicle, the egress vehicle, is housed within the bottom ingress half and provides the guidance, navigation and control algorithms for the TRSMAUV. This report covers the general design elements of the TRSMAUV, the detail design of several prototypes, the results of the field trials, and the next steps that will be taken to build the final vehicle.