Recently, a lineage-inspired soft-bodied submersible developed by the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) team at the Navigation College of Northwestern Polytechnical University has successfully conducted monitoring of coral reef growth in the South China Sea. This marks the first instance of a biomimetic submersible being utilized for such monitoring in the region, promising significant contributions to preventing the subsidence and collapse of reefs in the South China Sea.
South China Sea experimental batoid-like prototype deployed.
Coral Reef Monitoring - Prototype Weighs 30 Kilograms.
Substitute for Rare Animals at the Aquarium
High biocompatibility small interference coral reef ecological monitoring.
Coral Reef Monitoring - Model Illustration. Images provided by Northwestern Polytechnical University.
In support of national strategies for marine ecological conservation and maritime security, the team has been researching batoid-inspired underwater vehicles since 2016, achieving breakthroughs in biomimetic hydrodynamic optimization, fluid-structure interaction simulations of pectoral fin propulsion, integrated propulsion design for gliding and flapping locomotion, and smooth transition control for multimodal locomotion. Targeting scenarios such as coral growth in the South China Sea and settlement of island reef foundations, the team has introduced the latest models of 30kg and 720kg biomimetic underwater vehicles, thereby establishing a spectrum of biomimetic intelligent underwater vehicles ranging from flexible small-scale to functional large-scale.
Currently, the batoid-inspired underwater vehicles have performed various tasks including long-distance gliding/in-situ covert reconnaissance, high-affinity low-disturbance coral reef ecological monitoring, wide-area/fixed-depth/in-situ hydrological data collection, and alternative protection of rare marine animals in oceanariums, completing over 200 missions in total. These achievements mark significant strides in the practical application of biomimetic underwater equipment in China.
