Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed what they call the first unmanned, fixed-wing aircraft, capable of traveling both through the air and underwater, transitioning repeatedly between sky and sea. The EagleRay XAV holds promise for use in applications such as tracking and observing wildlife.
Recent studies have revealed a global interest in a wide range of industries, mainly due to relaxation of stringent international regulations around their use.
As aerial surveillance can use a lot of energy, the EagleRay XAV, developed with funding from Teledyne Scientific, can conserve energy by spending some of its time in the water, explained Warren Weisler, a Ph.D. student at NC State who worked on the EagleRay project.
For example, the EagleRay could track a fast-moving pod of dolphins from the air, then spend time loitering in the water if the dolphins stop to take advantage of a good feeding spot. The EagleRay could then resume flight when the dolphins begin moving again.
The EagleRay could also rapidly move underwater sensors from location to location, “even perform underwater monitoring that most unmanned aerial vehicles can’t,” says William Stewart, another NC State Ph.D. student who worked on the project.
For example, sonar only works underwater. If you’re seeking a sonar target, the EagleRay could fly to a site, submerge to take sonar readings, and then resume flight to take readings elsewhere. Historically, an aircraft would have to drop sonobuoys to collect sonar data.
The researchers are also refining a dynamic model of the EagleRay, for use in simulations that can be used for training purposes, to predict performance under various conditions and to refine the vehicle design.
The paper “Testing and Characterization of a Fixed Wing Cross-Domain Unmanned Vehicle Operating in Aerial and Underwater Environments” is published in the IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering.
By spring of 2016, the team had developed a fully functional prototype. Explore more here: