Performance of the fuel cell underwater vehicle URASHIMA

• Published in: Acoustical Science and Technology Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 249 - 257
• Main Authors: Sawa, Takao, Aoki, Taro, Yamamoto, Ikuo, Tsukioka, Satoshi, Yoshida, Hiroshi, Hyakudome, Tadahiro, Ishibashi, Syojiro, Inada, Tetsuya, Kabeno, Tatsumasa, Sasamoto, Ryoko, Nasuno, Youhei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 01.01.2005; Acoustical Society of Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Acoustic telemetry; Acoustic TV; Acoustics; AUV; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cell; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Homing sonar; Marine; Physics; Underwater sound; Autonomous system; AUV; Sonar; Fuel cell. Homing sonar; Telemetry; Acoustic telemetry 43.30.Tg [DOI: 10.1250/ast.26.249]; Television; Environment impact; Inertial navigation; Underwater acoustics; Submarine vehicle; Fuel cell; Acoustic TV
• ISSN: 1346-3969; 1347-5177
• DOI: 10.1250/ast.26.249

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology acquired an autonomous underwater vehicle, the URASHIMA, in 2000. It has capacity to cruise for 300 km, and to dive up to 3,500 m depth, and it can approach waypoints correctly using inertial or acoustic navigation during autonomous cruising. Autonomous underwater vehicles are expected to explore environmental problems by measuring various oceanic data. Through sea trials, we have been developing key technologies for the vehicle, such as navigation and power sources. This paper describes the vehicle system and sea trial results.