A Hybrid Underwater Glider for Underwater Docking

Underwater gliders have the advantage of high endurance and long range. However, these buoyancy-driven gliders do not have horizontal flight capabilities and have the shortage of low maneuverability. In this paper, we present a hybrid underwater glider aiming to overcome these disadvantages. The hybrid glider has characteristics as follows: it combines the capacity of a typical glider and a propeller-driven AUV, having the horizontal fly ability and higher maneuverability; it has the ability to dock with an underwater station for battery recharging and data communication, which will further expand the range and endurance of the vehicle.