Hull and Aerial Holonomic Propulsion System Design for Optimal Underwater Sensor Positioning in Autonomous Surface Vessels

Abstract

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) sensors measure water inflows and are essential to evaluate the Flow Curve (FC) of rivers. The FC is used to calibrate hydrological models responsible for planning the electrical dispatch of all power plants in several countries. Therefore, errors in those measures propagate to the final energy cost evaluation. One problem regarding this sensor is its positioning on the vessel. If placed on the bow, it becomes exposed to flowing obstacles, and if it is installed on the stern, the redirected water from the boat and its propulsion system change the sensor readings. To improve the sensor readings, this paper proposes the design of a catamaran-like Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV) with an optimized hull design, aerial propulsion, and optimal sensor placement to keep them protected and precise, allowing inspections in critical areas such as ultra-shallow waters and mangroves.