Chinese researchers develop prototype of submersible drone

Researchers have developed a prototype of a quadrotor that can fly in the air and submerge underwater, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

The quadrotor, TJ-FlyingFish, has been developed by scientists from the Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems under the Tongji University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

It weighs 1.63 kg with a wheelbase of 380 mm and is capable of hovering in the air for six minutes or swimming underwater for about 40 minutes.

The operating range is switched for different mediums by the dual-speed propulsion unit and the thrust vectoring is realized by the rotation of the propulsion unit around the mount arm, enhancing its underwater maneuverability, according to the researchers.

The quadrotor has potential for application in resource exploration, search and rescue missions and engineering inspections, among other fields.