Variable Pitch System for the Underwater Explorer Robot UX-1

This paper presents the results of the experimental tests performed to validate the functionality of a variable pitch system (VPS), designed for pitch attitude control of the novel underwater robotic vehicle explorer UX-1. The VPS is composed of a mass suspended from a central rod mounted across the hull. This mass is rotated around the transverse axis of the vehicle in order to perform a change in the inclination angle for navigation in vertical mine shafts. In this work, the equations of motion are first derived with a quaternion attitude representation, and are then extended to include the dynamics of the VPS. The performance of the VPS is demonstrated in real underwater experimental tests that validate the pitch angle control independently, and coupled with the heave motion control system.