Performance Evaluation of an Underwater Vehicle Equipped with a Collective and Cyclic Pitch Propeller

This paper presents modelling and simulation of an underwater vehicle equipped with a collective and cyclic propeller (CCPP). A CCPP has been applied in helicopters and it generates both axial and side thrusts that move a helicopter in all directions. If axial and side thrusts of the CCPP are controlled as desired it is possible to apply the CCPP to an underwater vehicle. A new CCPP has been designed and fabricated for a torpedo shaped underwater vehicle. Captive experiments were conducted to quantify the performance of the CCPP. The paper reports recent development of an underwater vehicle equipped with the CCPP including design and fabrication of the experimental facility, conduct of experiments, modeling, performance of the CCPP and simulation of the vehicle propelled by the CCPP.