Comparative energy management system study for efficient and agile hybrid unmanned wing-in-ground vehicles

The transition towards more-electric and autonomous vehicles in defence and maritime applications necessitates innovative approaches to energy management, particularly for hybrid systems combining fuel cells, batteries, and supercapacitors. This paper explores the development of an Energy Management System (EMS) tailored for Hybrid Unmanned Wing-In-Ground (WIG) Vehicles, leveraging comparative analyses from the more-electric aircraft sector to enhance reliability and operational flexibility while supporting the rapid manoeuvres crucial to defence applications. <br/> <br/> Hybrid WIG vehicles, operating at the intersection of air and sea, present unique challenges and opportunities for energy optimisation. Drawing upon established energy management strategies—including state machine control, rule-based fuzzy logic, classical PI control, frequency decoupling/state machine, the equivalent consumption minimisation strategy, the external energy maximisation strategy and a new proposed control strategy modified version of the classical PI—this study adapts these methodologies to the specific requirements of unmanned maritime vehicles. Our work optimises hydrogen consumption, manages the state of charge for batteries and supercapacitors, and enhances overall system efficiency while considering the rapid manoeuvrability essential for defence missions. <br/> <br/> This research identifies the most effective EMS approaches in sustaining high-performance and environmentally conscious operations while adequately supporting the high-stakes, fast-paced manoeuvres integral to defence strategies through simulation and experimental validation of a representative hybrid WIG vehicle model. The findings contribute to the advancement of autonomous naval technologies and offer insights into the broader application of hybrid energy systems in future more-electric vehicles.