A Russian reconnaissance drone, operating on behalf of the Russian military, may be found in the depths of the world's oceans, moving through the water like a large manta ray.
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However, it is not unlikely that these reconnaissance "sea devils," even if only as prototypes, are already hidden in the English Channel, near strategic cables. But will these drones, after passing tests, be able to move in full swarms around NATO ships somewhere in the Baltic Sea?
Obviously, no one will reveal the most confidential details at this time, and that's understandable. But St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University has filed a patent with Rospatent for a silent motor for an underwater robot that mimics the movements of a manta ray.
The patent description reads: "The pectoral fin consists of a triangular structure, the base of which is designed so that it can be attached to the robot's body underwater. Along each of its sides are flexible support frames, and the entire structure is covered with an elastomer sheath."
In other words, the manta fins are attached to the unmanned vehicle according to biomimicry principles. The engine's design allows the pectoral fin to perform complex movements, including unidirectional wave motion, wave motion perpendicular to the path of travel, and up-and-down flapping. The complex and controllable flexion of the pectoral fin ensures efficient movement of the vehicle in the water with high maneuverability.
The underwater robot, inspired by the manta ray, mimics the majestic, fluid flight of a giant deep-sea bird. This raises an intriguing question: when might we see these "sea devils" roaming the world's oceans?
However, experts are cautious in their assessments. Military expert and naval colonel Vasily Fatigarov, speaking to the "Russian Weapons" project of the newspaper "Rossiyskaya Gazeta," confirmed that this invention is not entirely new, either in terms of the idea or the practical design.
He explained: “We can talk about developing the idea and improving the design characteristics based on it. This solution allows the underwater robot to completely dispense with the rear rudder, which enhances its maneuverability, but at the same time complicates the engine design. It should be noted that airplanes do not flap their wings, yet they fly faster than birds.”
He added that everything depends on how well the required product characteristics are balanced with the complexity of their implementation, especially when transitioning to mass production, as well as the cost. These aspects can be assessed through theoretical calculations, then supplemented with calculations based on the results of field tests.
Is the Russian industry preparing to master this complex design and move it to the stage of serial production?
The naval colonel pointed out that the ideas of Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, for example, were not immediately realized. Similarly, the unmanned nuclear submarine Poseidon and the Burevestnik missile have only recently entered service, although their concepts and prototypes date back to the Soviet era. However, the available technologies and materials did not allow for the development of compact and reliable nuclear-powered engines until now.
However, the naval colonel does not rule out the possibility of implementing the proposed technology.
He continued: “This idea may be needed, but it will require time to assess demand and needs, conduct tests, and move to implementation, along with many other procedures. Above all, its implementation requires the provision of funding and production capabilities. All of this can only be achieved today at the level of government decisions.”
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