On the descending motion of a deep-sea robot

Research is being conducted on developing a compact deep-sea-monitoring robot system. In the first stage of a mission, a launcher (containing a vehicle inside) descends under gravity from the surface to the seafloor and approaches a target point on the seafloor. To clarify the best configuration for effective horizontal movement during this descending motion, preliminary calculations are made for two types of configurations: a fuselage with fins and rudders, and a fuselage with rudders but no fins. Experiments conducted in a deep-sea model basin confirmed the basic mechanism for descending motion under both configurations.