An Estimation Technique for the Thrust Performance of AUVs

Thrust is one of the important performance characteristics of an AUV. At the design stage, the resistance of an AUV at its maximum speed is estimated and then the thrust system is designed, including the propeller diameter, propeller rpm, driving system, and required power. However, it is not possible to be certain that the thrust system has been correctly designed until the AUV is launched and its speed is measured. If data from a propeller open-water test is available, the thrust and torque of the propeller at a certain speed can be estimated. In addition, if the motor's torque characteristics are available, the maximum speed saturated by the induced propeller torque can be estimated. In this paper, an easy technique for estimating the maximum speed of an AUV will be shown, even in a case where additional resistance is gained from appendages not considered at the design stage. Furthermore, the thrust performance changes by adjusting the diameter of the propeller can be easily investigated.