Petrel underwater glider

Petrel hybrid underwater glider (HUG) is the first model of a series of very little known Chinese autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)/autonomous underwater glider (AUG) developed by Tianjin University in the People's Republic of China (PRC), and subsequent models based on this first model have also been developed. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]} Petrel series underwater glider has been successfully deployed in South–North Water Transfer Project ^{[8] [9] [10]} and many other Chinese research projects. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [11] [12]}

Petrel

The need of Petrel HUG is due to the inherent problem of AUG, namely, its speed. Typical speed of traditional AUG is less than 0.5 kt and although at this speed, the endurance of the AUG can last several months. This presents a problem when the speed of the oceanic current is greater than that of the AUG, where it would be impossible for the AUG to successfully accomplish its mission; a high speed AUG is therefore needed for prolonged missions in the high speed oceanic currents environment, and Petrel AUG is the Chinese answer to this problem. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [8]} Petrel HUG is designed to combine the advantage of both AUV and AUG, and can act in either role by automatically switching between the two modes based on command or environmental conditions. There is also a manual override mode to operate Petrel HUG as ROUV via remote control. Petrel HUG was designed by a design team consisting three members of Tianjin University: Professor Wang Shu-Xin (王树新) as the general designer, ^{[3] [4] [8] [9] [10] [11]} associate professor Wang Yan-Hui, (王延辉, unrelated to Wang Shu-Xin) and PhD graduate student Liu Fang, and the development was completed in 2005. ^{[3] [4] [5] [8] [9] [10]}

Petrel AUG looks like a miniaturized torpedo, with a pair of swept wing at 45 degrees attached to a cylindrical body. ^{[2] [3] [5] [9] [10] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]} The pressure hull contains buoyance and depth control units, and behind them, is the mission payload section and centralized control unit. Propulsion system is at the rear section with propellers, ^[2] a useful feature if needed to surface quickly in the event of a potential submarine contact. ^[2] Also housed at the rear end of the pressure hull is the antenna duct, ^[2] which can be replaced by the connector for cables of tether management system. Antenna and wings of Petrel HUG can be rapidly removed for the system to be stored in the container. Petrel HUG adopts modular design concept that allows different payload and propulsion system to be utilized based on customer requests or mission requirement. This general layout is inherited on all the following models. ^{[3] [5] [9] [10] [12]} Specifications: ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [11] [12]}

• Length: 1.8 meter
• Diameter: 0.3 meter
• Weight: 70 kg
• Payload: 5 kg
• Endurance: 30 days
• Range: 1000 km
• Max operating depth: 100 meter
• Max speed (kt): 3

Petrel-II

Petrel-II is the second member of Petrel series, and it entered service in 2009. ^{[3] [5] [8]} And from this model on, the series is formally named as Petrel. ^{[8] [9] [10]} Petrel II has gained incremental improvements, and therefore, the maximum operating depth has been increased from the original 500 meter by twenty times to 10,000 meter. And to avoid confusion, more detailed classification system was subsequently adopted for Petrel series by designating models by their different maximum operating depth.

Specifications: ^{[3] [5] [7]}

• Length: 1.8 meter
• Diameter: 0.3 meter
• Max operating depth: 500 meter
• Weight: 100 kg
• Max propelling speed: 3 kt

Petrel-200

Petrel-200 is a derivative of earlier Petrel models designed to operate in shallow waters at a depth of 200 meters. ^{[3] [4] [5] [7] [8] [9] [10]} Specifications: ^{[3] [4] [5] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

• Maximum operating depth: 200 meter

Petrel-1500

Originally still designated as Petrel-II, Petrel-1500 is the first development of Petrel-II, and it is designed to operate at a depth of 1500 meters. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [20] [21]} A single operator console can simultaneously control ten Petrel-1500 AUV/AUGs. ^{[20] [21]} Specifications: ^{[20] [21]}

• Endurance: 120 days
• Range: 3000 km
• Maximum speed: 3.6 kt
• Maximum underwater gliding speed: 1.3 kt
• Maximum operating depth: 1500 meters
• Navigational system: BeiDou & GPS

Petrel-4000

Petrel-4000 is a development of earlier Petrel-1500 and it is designed to operate at a depth of 4000 meters. ^{[3] [4] [5] [8] [9] [10] [22]} Specifications: ^{[3] [4] [5] [8] [9] [10] [22]}

• Maximum operating depth: 4000 meter

Petrel-10000

Petrel-10000 is a development of earlier Petrel-4000 and it is designed to operate at a depth of 10000 meters. ^{[3] [4] [5] [8] [9] [10] [22]} : ^{[3] [4] [5] [8] [9] [10] [22]}

• Maximum operating depth: 10,000 meter

Petrel-L

Petrel-L is designed for long-range/endurance operations. ^{[2] [5] [23] [24] [25] [22] [26] [13] [14] [15] [16] [27]} Specification: ^{[2] [8] [9] [23] [24] [25] [22]}

• Length: 2.3 meter
• Diameter: 0.22 meter
• Weight: 78 kg
• Endurance: 5 month

Petrel-X

Petrel-X is designed to combine the deep diving capability of earlier Petrel-10000 and the long-endurance/range capability of Petrel-L, and has since been successfully deployed in Chinese scientific research missions to explore the Mariana Trench. ^{[2] [5] [17] [18] [19] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]} Specification: ^{[2] [5] [17] [18] [19] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]}

• Maximum operating depth: 10,000 meter

Dolphin

Not to be confused with VVLAI unmanned vehicles § VVL-S170-3T Dolphin ROUV.

Not to be confused with Yunzhou USV § Dolphin 1.

Dolphin (Hai-Tun, 海豚) underwater glider is jointly developed by Tianjin University, the Qingdao Pilot National Lab for Marine Science and Technology (青岛海洋科学与技术试点国家实验室) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Environmental Research Institute (海军水下作战环境研究所) of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Submarine Academy, with program first begun in 2014. ^[2] Dolphin underwater glider looks like a Haiyan underwater glider, except for a vector sensor protruding from its nose. Within the body of the glider, forward of the batteries, is its signal processor. ^[2] Dolphin underwater glider is designed to autonomously detect, classify, and locate undersea targets. ^[2]

References

1. "Leviathan Wakes: China's Growing Fleet of Autonomous Undersea Vehicles". August 17, 2021.
2. "Gliders with Ears: A New Tool in China's Quest for Undersea Security". March 21, 2022.
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30. "Petrel-X underwater glider" (in Simplified Chinese). July 17, 2020.
31. "Petrel-X unmanned underwater vehicle" (in Simplified Chinese). July 17, 2020.
32. "Petrel-X UUV" (in Simplified Chinese).