Design and Implementation of an Uncrewed Aerial-Aquatic Vehicle With Antenna Retractor
Zikun Zhen, Yunhua Jiang, Zhihui Zou, Zhenglin Li
Abstract
Uncrewed aerial-aquatic vehicles (UAAVs) can operate in both aerial and aquatic domains and repeatedly cross domains, thereby presenting considerable application prospects. This letter introduces ‘Diving Hawk-2 (DH-2),’ a forward-tilting coaxial three-axis six-rotor uncrewed aerial-aquatic vehicle (UAAV) that solves the persistent problem of real-time communication for submerged vehicles via an antenna retractor. We detail the vehicle's mechanical and control co-design, which ensures multi-domain agility without actuator redundancy. Experimental results from field trials in polar, lake, and high visibility pool environments confirm both the system's capability for real-time information transmission and control during underwater locomotion, and the vehicle's ability to perform repeatable, cross-domain transitions with stable multi-mode locomotion. The DH-2 platform, with its high modularity, offers a practical and replicable model for future research in real-time control of UAAVs.
BibTeX
@inproceedings{ral2026_designandimpleme,
title = {Design and Implementation of an Uncrewed Aerial-Aquatic Vehicle With Antenna Retractor},
author = {Zikun Zhen and Yunhua Jiang and Zhihui Zou and Zhenglin Li},
booktitle = {RA-L 2026},
year = {2026}
}