A Hybrid Propulsion System for a Miniaturised AUV in Subglacial Environments

To explore subglacial bodies of water, on Earth or in space missions, miniaturised autonomous underwater vehicles offer promising possibilities. Such vehicles can be inserted as probes through thick layers of ice. However, miniaturisation poses challenges, especially for the propulsion system. The nanoAUV is such an autonomous and miniaturised underwater vehicle that is part of the TRIPLE exploration system. Using a melting probe, the nanoAUV is to be transported through a layer of ice into the subglacial water and perform autonomous exploration. A robust and miniaturised propulsion system is required for this application scenario. This paper describes the hybrid propulsion concept for active and passive propulsion as well as the development of the prototype design.