Underwater robot for inspecting underwater tunnels and control method for the same

Underwater Robot for Submerged Tunnel Inspection Using a Guide-Wire-Connected Mother-Ship and Survey-Ship System

This technology features an underwater robot system where a first and second mother-ship are attached to the surface of a submerged tunnel, connected by a guide wire. A survey-ship travels back and forth between them to acquire sensing data, with winch winding control and directional adjustment units used to sequentially shift the survey area.

Existing methods faced challenges in maintaining the precise distance required for inspection due to the risk of collision between the robot and the tunnel, as well as a lack of technical solutions for efficient, continuous monitoring while moving along the tunnel surface.

This technology proposes a method where two mother-ships are fixed to the tunnel surface, allowing a survey-ship to travel along a guide wire to inspect the surface using optical and acoustic sensors. The mother-ships use winches and directional adjustment units to perform longitudinal movement and rotation. This enables automated, precise inspection of submerged tunnels and undersea structures while maintaining a constant distance to eliminate collision risks.

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Key Features:

• A first mother-ship attached to the submerged tunnel surface, including a first winch and a first directional adjustment unit connected to one end of the guide wire.
• A second mother-ship attached longitudinally, including a second winch and a second directional adjustment unit connected to the other end of the guide wire.
• A survey-ship that inspects the surface of the submerged tunnel while moving along the guide wire from the first mother-ship toward the second mother-ship.
• A configuration that changes the survey area by moving the mother-ships through winch winding control and directional adjustment units.

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This invention was developed with support from the Smart Underwater Tunnel System Research Center of the Ministry of Science and ICT.