可変構成型水中調査用ロボットの研究開発

―流水下における係留型無人水上機の軌道制御―

抄録

As part of the NEDO robot project, we are engaged in developing a surface/underwater robot system which investigates underwater infrastructure such as dams and river facilities. In this paper, we propose a sailing control method based on “extended kite flying principle” for a moored unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in running water, and develop the mooring system and the USV with a mooring arm that can change the position of a coupling point with mooring wire. The effect of the arm and twin rudders control on position and posture of the USV sailing is analyzed. Controlling the arm, the rudders and the mooring system, the sailing of the USV on linear trajectories is realized with keeping posture of the USV in the direction substantially parallel to the water flow.