An efficient propulsion system for untethered submersible vehicles

Manned and unmanned submersible systems have, since their inception, been propelled by screw propeller or ducted thruster units and controlled by rudders and dive planes or ducted thrusters oriented along each axes. Either of these methods present a number of disadvantages for untethered vehicle applications. This includes in the case of a screw propeller with rudder, no hover capability and a lack of low speed maneuverability. The ducted thrusters oriented along each of the three axes result in a larger, more complex system typically not capable of high speed operation, while consuming more power. The Tandem Propeller System (TPS) provides a module that is capable of both propulsion and control in all six degrees of freedom from a single assembly. The capability for both high speed transit and precise maneuverability is ideally suited to untethered unmanned vehicle systems. The TPS is discussed in detail including the theory of operation and its applicability to untethered vehicle systems.