NEXTGEN AERONAUTICS, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Significant resources are required to increase the sprint speed capabilities of miniature

Description

Significant resources are required to increase the sprint speed capabilities of miniature AUVs which are subject to severe weight and volume constraints. This is aggravated when (i) high speed maneuvers are required to last longer periods of time, and (ii) vehicle stability can no longer be guaranteed at high speeds due to vehicle design constraints. In the case of the ASW training target EMATT, the design challenge extends well beyond selecting more powerful motors and high-capacity batteries. As outlined in the solicitation, advancements in motor and battery technology are continuously entering the market. Although those systems have been successfully utilized for a variety of applications, the development of an optimization strategy that (i) combines individual subcomponents such as shroud, propeller(s), shaft, gearing, motor(s), and batteries, and (ii) adheres to stringent design space requirements still poses a significant challenge. To close this technological gap, the NextGen team will leverage previous work and proven methods in order to develop a hydrodynamic optimization tool that guides the selection and/or design process of subcomponents for a vehicle specific propulsion system. The optimization tool will expose several options to compromise between design parameters such as top speed, speed range, required vehicle length and overall endurance