DEVELOPMENT OF FIN AND RUDDER CONTROL FOR MINI AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE

Abstract

Nowadays, AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) can be used in many fields including geographical research, search and rescue and defense system. For current practice, the RC (radio control) AUV will be used to do underwater monitoring. Current RC AUV are expensive, and new design in this project are used to build a local RC AUV with on board wireless control to control the specific degree of movement of fin and rudder. In this project, the cost will be optimum and using an easy to obtain parts. A controller circuit consists of important components such as servo motors, Arduino board and radio control receiver and transmitter. This will control fin and rudder for AUV movement. The fin and rudder is made from wood that has been designed in Solidwork programme and crafted by design student. The movement degree of the rudder and fin is entitled to the specific coding placed within Arduino. Multiple type of coding will be placed to differentiate the degree of movement. In order to fully achieve the best control system for the fin and rudder, different range of voltages is applied to the fin and rudder. Furthermore, servos of fin and rudder would be put under different load and evaluation of the speed and degree of movement is differentiated. Additionally, different range of the transmission of signal is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the signal either on surface, in plain water or in salt water. The result recorded within the report states the best of control system movement of fin and rudder after all the evaluations are made.