Unmanned Autonomous Submarine

Our purpose: 

The purpose of Unmanned Autonomous Submarine team is to create a device that can perform underwater tasks in place of humans. Surveying, exploration, and underwater repair are a only few of many necessary jobs that ensure safe sea travel and to protect marine life. However, extreme ocean conditions and the risk of malfunctioning equipment make these jobs dangerous for humans.

The Unmanned Autonomous Submarine team works to prove that a submarine can be a viable alternative to human labor for underwater work roles. Our team conducts research on simple yet energy-efficient submarine designs and tracking systems to develop a fully autonomous submarine. 

By the end of Winter 2024, the project team will have fabricated a submarine that can navigate freely underwater and autonomously track and follow a moving tennis ball. Our goal is to create a device that demonstrates functionality and efficiency so that future iterations may be used to improve underwater safety.

Objectives:

Quarter 1: 

• Week 1-2: Problem Definition, Sponsor Interview, Team Contract and Expectations;
• Week 3-4: Existing Solution Research, System Decomposition, Development of System Requirements, Function Generation;
• Week 5: Concept Generation, Subsystem Trade Study, Concept Selection and Analysis;
• Week 6-8: Preliminary Design Review, Individual Component Analysis, Development of Chassis, Propulsion, and Software;
• Week 9: Finalize Preliminary Design, Complete Component Analysis, Begin Manufacturing of Proof of Concept, Design Review with Siemens;
• Week 10: Demo Component Proof of Concept, Complete Preliminary Design, Finalize Design Report.

Team Structure: 

Propulsion:

The propulsion lead researches and implements the thruster configuration that will allow for optimal navigation. Additionally, they are responsible for selecting a motor, propeller, and battery that can provide enough thrust to propel the submarine forward.

Electrical:

The electrical lead designs and implements the electronic system used for control, navigation, and camera integration. They are also responsible for effectively delivering power to the submarine.

Chassis:

The chassis lead designs and constructs the shell of the submarine that need to be able to accommodate all electronic components and other propulsion systems. They are also responsible to design brackets and adapters to secure internal accessories.

Software/Control:

The Software/Control lead the design of software and control system used for control, tracking, navigation, and camera and battery integration. They are also responsible for working with Propulsion and Electrical to control robot trajectory via propellers and to integrate tracking via camera.

Contacts:

Team:

Tyler Terada - tterada@uci.edu

Leo Ma - zenanm@uci.edu

Sam Fan - fant3@uci.edu

Esther Yao - caiyingy@uci.edu

Ann Duong - duongha@uci.edu

Advisor:

Shorbagy Mohamed - mohamem2@uci.edu