A 3-DOF caudal fin for precise maneuvering of thunniform-inspired unmanned underwater vehicles

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) will see increased use in scientific research, military operations and maintenance of industrial infrastructure. Many of these applications require that the vehicle possess a long range while retaining precise maneuvering or station-keeping capabilities. Both current UUVs and biological swimmers, often considered the basis for the next generation of UUVs, face a trade-off between the two characteristics. Here, we introduce a novel hybrid propeller concept that enables thunniform-inspired vehicles, which imitate nature’s most efficient swimmers, to also achieve high maneuverability. The propeller can produce enhanced three-dimensional kinematics of the caudal fin. An optimization procedure based on real-time experimental data is used to obtain the best kinematics to maneuver the vehicle, and a 4-step strategy is uncovered that results in a 49% increase in maneuverability with respect to conventional 2-D kinematics. The proposed mechanism is shown to be effective for a wide range of fin geometries and stiffness values.