Modeling and Simulation of Underwater Gliders Based on Dual Quaternions

Underwater gliders (UGs), have become highly esteemed tools in ocean research due to their flexible payload capacity, long endurance, and cost-effective efficiency. The spatial motion of UGs includes both translational and rotational movements, necessitating coordinated control for effective underwater observation. However, traditional Newton-Euler angle modeling methods face challenges in handling complex rigid body motions, including attitude angle singularities and the decoupling of translational and rotational movements. This work introduces a dual quaternions modeling approach that leverages the advantages of dual numbers and quaternions for the kinematic and dynamic modeling of UGs. Firstly, by analyzing the motion and force characteristics of UGs, the kinematic and dynamic models were derived using dual quaternions. Subsequently, simulations under ideal conditions were conducted for models established using dual quaternions. Finally, the simulation results of the dual quaternion method and the Newton-Euler angle method were compared. The comparison results demonstrate that the dual quaternions modeling approach effectively addresses the problems of attitude angle singularities and decoupling inherent in the Newton-Euler angle method, achieving an approximate 8.6% reduction in computation time. This study will provide guidance for modeling other underwater equipment.