Design and Motion Simulation of an Underwater Glider

This paper describes the design of a small-scale underwater glider and the construction of the prototype.Different from the ordinary gliders,the water bladder which is applied to produce the driving forces is mounted on the nose within the vehicle,which would provide positive moment for the vehicle's pitch motion to reduce system's regulation time.Finally,the dynamic equations are established and the downward gliding motion is simulated of the prototype.The results of simulation verify that the bladder setting have truly reduced the glider system's regulation time.