ZS-Puffin: Design, Modeling and Implementation of an Unmanned Aerial-Aquatic Vehicle with Amphibious Wings

TL;DR

This paper introduces ZS-Puffin, an innovative unmanned aerial-aquatic vehicle with amphibious wings inspired by puffins, capable of efficient operation both in air and underwater with a simple, environmentally friendly design.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel UAAV design with amphibious wings that combine lift and propulsion functions, featuring a simple structure and an artificial CPG for smooth flapping motion.

Findings

Successful prototype implementation demonstrating dual-mode operation

Effective lift generation in air and underwater propulsion

Enhanced motion smoothness with artificial CPG

Abstract

Unmanned aerial-aquatic vehicles (UAAVs) can operate both in the air and underwater, giving them broad application prospects. Inspired by the dual-function wings of puffins, we propose a UAAV with amphibious wings to address the challenge posed by medium differences on the vehicle's propulsion system. The amphibious wing, redesigned based on a fixed-wing structure, features a single degree of freedom in pitch and requires no additional components. It can generate lift in the air and function as a flapping wing for propulsion underwater, reducing disturbance to marine life and making it environmentally friendly. Additionally, an artificial central pattern generator (CPG) is introduced to enhance the smoothness of the flapping motion. This paper presents the prototype, design details, and practical implementation of this concept.