Chinese researchers have created a diving drone that can alternate between flying and swimming, making it more effective in cross-domain detection, remote sensing, disaster relief, and other scenarios. It can also be used for resource exploitation, search and rescue operations, and airborne and aquatic surveys.
The TJ-FlyingFish device was created by a group of researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Unmanned Systems Research Group and the Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems. It is currently in the functional prototype stage and can run underwater for 40 minutes on a single battery charge and hover for six minutes. It can dive to a depth of up to three metres and operate underwater at a speed of two metres per second.
Researchers have developed an autonomous system that can exchange and integrate data from both above and below the surface of the earth. This will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of work in a variety of potential applications. Researchers at Tongji University have developed a device that can be used as a messenger in a cross-domain collaborative system. It must take on different postures and activate systems to adapt to the characteristics of the environment when working underwater and while flying. The device is now a reality after overcoming technological obstacles.
TJ-FlyingFish is a quadcopter with four limbs, each with a propulsion unit at the end, and a central domed body. It has a dual-speed gearbox and is propelled below the water’s surface by rotating to face downward and spinning more slowly. The drone changes the angle and thrust of each propulsion unit as needed to move both vertically and horizontally after it is fully immersed.
A trans-domain positioning and navigation system, including the Global Positioning System, an inertial measurement unit, a depth metre, and a micro ultrasonic velometer, is included in the apparatus. This system enables the device to operate entirely automatically with no human input at any stage of its amphibious operation. The device will be constructed in different sizes and can adapt to deep or shallow marine settings. It has drawn interest from a variety of industries.
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