Date of Award

5-5-2025

Degree Type

Capstone Project

First Advisor

Bahram Nassersharif

Abstract

This design report focuses on the development of an innovative system that enables the deployment of a small encapsulated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a submerged unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). Addressing a significant need within the underwater marine community, this capability has applications in advanced scouting, aerial imaging, and enhancing situational awareness. The project centers on designing a UUV hull form or modifying an existing design to incorporate a specialized payload section capable of housing and deploying an encapsulated UAV in submerged conditions.

The primary design challenges include integrating the payload system without compromising the hydrodynamic efficiency, stability, or operational capabilities of the UUV. The encapsulated UAV deployment mechanism must be both robust and reliable to function effectively in harsh underwater environments. Key considerations involve ensuring the structural integrity of the modified hull, designing a watertight encapsulation for the UAV, and developing an efficient release mechanism that allows for a seamless transition from the underwater environment to aerial operation. The design also requires careful attention to size constraints, weight distribution, and the compatibility of the UAV’s propulsion and control systems with underwater deployment requirements.

To achieve these objectives, the project begins with a comprehensive evaluation of potential parent UUV hull forms to identify candidates for modification. Following this, the design effort focuses on creating a compact and modular payload section that securely houses the UAV capsules while minimizing its impact on the UUV’s performance. An innovative deployment mechanism is then designed to ensure secure storage and reliable release of the UAV in submerged conditions. Computational models and simulations are used to validate the hydrodynamic performance of the modified UUV, test the reliability of the deployment mechanism, and assess the UAVs ability to transition from water to air.

The expected outcomes of this project include a conceptual design for the modified UUV, detailed schematics of the payload section and deployment system, and simulation results that demonstrate the feasibility of the design. By integrating UAV deployment capabilities into UUV platforms, this system offers significant operational advantages, extending the functional range of underwater vehicles to aerial domains. This dual-domain capability enhances mission flexibility and efficiency, addressing critical challenges in maritime reconnaissance, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring.

Comments

Team Name: Team 5

Company Sponsor: NUWC

Sponsor Representative: Daynamar Delgado-Nieves

Document Reference: URI-MCE-402-005-2025

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