Congratulations to the student team of Professor Ben Chen on receiving 2nd Runner-up at the Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards 2025!
Awardees: Mr. Zhao Zuoquan, Mr. Yan Ruixin, Mr. Wu Zongzhou, Mr. Wang Jialiang, Mr. Guo Zixuan, Ms. Han Bingxin (Ph.D., MAE)
Supervisors: Professor Ben Chen, Professor Xi Chen
Winning Project: Sea-U-Foil: Development of a Hydrofoil-based Unmanned Underwater-surface Vehicle for Search and Rescue
Project Description:
To overcome the limitations of conventional unmanned marine systems, such as low operating speeds, restricted working ranges, and reliance on a single mode of motion, we developed Sea-U-Foil, a groundbreaking high-speed unmanned hydrofoil vessel featuring a single-strut design. Unlike traditional platforms, Sea-U-Foil offers three distinct operating modes: Displacement Mode, Foilborne Mode, and Submarine Mode.
Surface Mode: Simple to operate and highly manoeuvrable, making it well-suited for rapid deployment and navigation in confined or narrow environments.
Hydrofoil Mode: Offers high speed, strong payload capacity, and extended endurance, making it ideal for long-range missions and high-efficiency operations.
Submersible Mode: Enables effective underwater operations, greatly expanding the range and versatility of possible missions.
The collaboration between Sea-U-Foil and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) significantly enhances the efficiency of maritime search and rescue missions. Once a UAV locates a drowning individual, Sea-U-Foil can leverage its speed, payload capacity, and endurance to swiftly deliver emergency supplies nearby, assisting the person in need. Moreover, its unique submersible capability allows it to perform underwater searches and operations, significantly broadening its application potential.
(a): Foilborne mode; (b): Foilborne mode; (c): Submarine mode
Application in Search and Rescue Mission
