Human Powered Submarine
Fly-by- wire

 

The Human Powered Submarine project will be entering the fifth year of development.  The goal this year is to bring the submarine to a race ready condition with a fly-by-wire control system.  Previous groups have designed and built the hull and developed the propulsion design.  A group also did some work on ergonomics and safety.  Last year the group built a prototype autopilot with fly by wire control.  This year the autopilot needs to be completed, developed and tested and final finish of the hull and testing needs to be performed. 

The project this year will either require that the team be certified by the university diving program in the first semester or that a method of testing the system in the water without a diver be developed.  This system would most likely involve towing the hull across the pool and perturbing the system from a steady direction.

Milestones:

bulletProposal for modified milestones and initial deliverables: September 15, 2005
bulletTest results for existing autopilot and fly by wire system
bulletDesign of new or ruggedized fly by wire system for submarine.
bulletBench set up of second edition of fly by wire/autopilot system
bulletPresentation of first semester results including in water demonstration of operational controller: December 6, 2005
bulletCompletion of all required certifications for testing, either non-diving or diving
bulletPool testing of fly by wire
bulletSet up of projects for final review, Maine Day: May 3, 2006
bulletOpen house, operational review of project: May 4, 2006
bulletFinal Project Report due: May 10 2006

September:

bulletThursday, 15th
bulletBegin sessions for dive certification.  Chris, Ricky, and Devon will concentrate on becoming Open Water certified, Aaron will work on his Safety Diver certification.  Dive classes will be instructed through All Resource Divers, Eugene Sutton.
bulletRemove servos and wiring, etc. for inspection and to work on the systems.  This will also prepare the sub for initial buoyancy testing.

October: 

bulletTBA for scheduling purposes
bulletMeet with University dive safety contact, Christopher Rigaud. 
bulletTuesday, 4th
bulletComplete the determination of progress of last year’s group, and status of fly by wire system. 
bulletTuesday, 11th
bulletMeet with Professor Vel to discuss control issues with autopilot programming.
bulletTuesday, 18th   
bulletRework autopilot system based on determinations during testing and meeting with Professor Vel.
bulletSaturday, 22nd
bulletComplete all dive certification

November:

bulletTuesday, 1st
bulletMeet with Professor Bhaganagar to discuss effects of fluid flow over sub.
bulletThursday, 3rd
bulletLook at sub’s overall makeup to determine if modifications should be made for competition.
bulletTuesday, 22nd 
bulletFinal design of autopilot system.
bulletTuesday, 13th
bulletConstruction of autopilot and waterproofing

December:

bulletTuesday, 6th
bulletPresentation of first semester results including in water demonstration

January:

bulletTuesday, 31st
bulletPool testing of fly by wire

February:

bulletTuesday, 7th
bulletBegin installation of auto pilot and fly by wire system in sub

March:

bulletTBA
bulletTest and adjust autopilot to work with sub

April:

bulletTBA
bulletFinal prep for competition and

May:

bulletWednesday, 3rd
bulletSet up of projects for final review, Maine Day
bulletThursday, 4th
bulletOpen house, operational review of project.
bulletWednesday, 10th
bulletFinal Project Report due.

June:

bulletTBA
bulletCompetition in San Diego, CA

 

 

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