A digital twin-enhanced model for underwater gliders under time-varying biofouling

Abstract Underwater glider (UG) is an important technology equipment to realize wide-area, long-endurance, and high-precision ocean observation and exploration. Previous studies show that the continuous technology progress of UGs has gradually left biofouling a key obstacle reducing observation and exploration accuracy and limiting their endurance, which urgently need to be addressed. To solve this problem of UGs under time-varying biofouling, a digital model of biofouled shape is established to obtain the influence mechanism of biofouling organisms. Then, based on the massive long-term sea trial data, a growth model of time-varying biofouling process is obtained through parameter identification, and on the basis, the performance prediction can be realized to improve the system performance of UGs under biofouling. Finally, a sea trial is performed to fully verify the correctness of the growth model. The research work is of great significance to guide long-term mission planning and promote the cluster application of UGs.