Analysis of an Autonomous Underwater Glider

Underwater gliders have proven to be a powerful tool in oceanography because they are reusable, inexpensive and achieve a high duration. These qualities have made the acquisition of oceanographic data sets more accessible. The purpose of this article is to present a study aimed at modelling an underwater glider in the longitudinal and lateral plane. The proposed glider possesses a single stroke ballast pump, a moving internal mass and a symmetrical rudder design. It has an operational depth of 200m and is geared for coastal and estuarine environments. To provide the vehicle with navigation, a localisation algorithm capable of tracking an underwater glider and estimating ocean currents is proposed. The glider design is evaluated in simulation and results are presented illustrating the anticipated behaviour of this system.