Active Buoyancy Control

The ability to actively control the buoyancy of underwater sea gliders could greatly enhance the efficiency of the underwater vehicles. Both large displacements as well as small (trim) displacements are beneficial to finely control the buoyancy of the sea glider. Mide proposes to utilize either shape memory allow (SMA) dimples, or super elastic alloy (SEA) dimples of varying size, to alter the volume of the craft at select locations, thus altering the buoyancy of the sea glider. In their non-actuated state the dimples would utilize the external water pressure to lay conformed to the glider body, when actuated the dimples would create small mounds on the body of the sea glider. The SMA dimples would be actuated via heaters and pressure, and the SEA would be actuated via pressure. By actuated the dimples with pressure, the actuation can be tailored dependent upon depth in the ocean.