XRAY GLIDER Underwater Video Cruise Plan May 21, 22, 23, 2007 R. G. Sproul

XRAY GLIDER Underwater Video Cruise Plan May 21, 22, 23, 2007 R. G. Sproul

Purpose The ONR program manager for the XRAY/Liberdade underwater flying wing glider has requested that an underwater video of the glider in flight be created for general demonstration purposes. Additionally, the video will be used to illustrate XRay s flight characteristics at the upcoming AUV Fest in Panama City, FL this June, 2007. To help us in this endeavor, the SPAWAR Systems Center, San Diego (SSC-SD) will provide test support and perform the actual videotaping of the glider s underwater motion in clear water off the coast of San Clemente Island. The video will also aid Scripps personnel in evaluating the underway performance of the glider. Operational Area Glider operations will take place off the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) Pier on San Clemente Island. NOTS Pier provides exceptionally clear water (60-100ft), shielded waters from offshore swells, and a fully equipped dive locker. Kelp clearing by SSC-SD personnel will remove stray kelp in the operational area northeast of NOTS pier, and provide uninhibited glider operations. The bottom is composed of mostly smooth sand. Operational depths will be between 30 and 100ft. Figure 1 Operational Area NOTS Pier 2

Figure 2 Operational Area: NOTS Pier 3

Missions The main goal of the missions is to successfully film the glider as it glides from its release point at depth to the surface. Several deployments of the glider may be required to accomplish this goal. In addition, at some time during the operations on a not-to-interfere basis, some equipment loaded by SPAWAR SSC-SD personnel onto the Sproul prior to its 21:00, 21 May departure will be transferred to a small SPAWAR boat operating out of NOTS Pier. This equipment includes a 5-ft glider its 7-ft shipping case, and two pelican cases. This equipment will not return to the Sproul. Deployment Procedures The SPAWAR SSC-SD Dive Team will be on station in a 27ft Boston whaler dive boat. The Sproul will host the XRay glider and all of the Scripps glider operations group. The Sproul and Scripps personnel are solely responsible for deploying the glider. To maneuver the glider on the surface and deploy to depth, the Sproul will launch a small RHIB boat manned by three Scripps personnel (the Resident Technician, Dave Price, and Sean McPeak). The glider will be deployed to a depth of 30-50ft using a weighted clump attached at a 6ft standoff (called the release line) to the glider s nose. The clump and glider will be attached to a line buoyed to the surface (the surface line). The glider release system will allow the vehicle to leave the clump only at the divers discretion. The SPAWAR SSC-SD dive team will remain in the Boston whaler until the Scripps RHIB boat has finished deploying the glider and buoy system. Once the RHIB has moved off station, the dive team will deploy using the buoyed surface line as a descent line. Once the divers are at depth, they can remove the surface line from the glider s flight pathn and then pull the glider release to activate the glider s ascent (Fig. 3). The SSC-SD dive team is responsible for videotaping the glider s ascent to the surface and monitoring the motion of the vehicle and noting any instability in the glider s ascent. After the vehicle has breached the surface, the dive team will muster on the Boston whaler, and give a radio signal to the RHIB boat to recover the glider and surface buoy and attached anchor weights. Modifications to the vehicle and/or deployment system will be made by Scripps personnel as required before proceeding to the next deployment. This may or may not require recovering the vehicle on the Sproul. Once any required modifications have been made, the glider will be redeployed. The detailed sequence is as follows: 1) Deploy RHIB boat from Sproul The RHIB boat is deployed with three people: one to drive the RHIB and two to handle towing and deployment of the glider. The ResTech will drive the RHIB boat, and Sean McPeak and Dave Price will handle glider towing and deployment. 2) Deploy glider from Sproul Once the RHIB is in the water the remaining Scripps personnel will deploy the glider using the glider s launch and recovery system. These personnel will be Richard Zimmerman (lead engineer), Scott Jenkins, Dennis Rimington, Mariah Lovejoy, and Gerald D Spain (chief scientist). 4

3) Glider is towed into position a) RHIB hooks into loop in nose of glider and tows glider into position, b) At this phase of the operation, the Sproul is in standby mode and can move away from the immediate operations area. One option is for the Sproul to tie off at the pegtop buoy in the NOTS Pier area; 32 58.983 N, 118 32.116 W. (Chuck Adams at SPAWAR SSC-SD already has granted permission to use the pegtop buoy for this purpose). 4) Glider is lowered to sea floor The descent weights are attached to the glider release line and lowered into the water via the surface line. There will be 5 descent weights at 10lbs each (for ease of handling). Since the glider is 30lbs positively buoyant, the descent weights will make the glider 20lbs negative. As the surface line is payed out, the descent weights will pull the glider slowly to the bottom in a controlled fashion (30-50 ft water depth). Once the descent weight has reached the bottom, a small float is attached to the surface line and left on station. The glider is positively buoyant so it will be in the water column nose down about 6 feet from the bottom (see Fig. 3). 5) Reposition support boats a) Reposition RHIB boat The RHIB boat will reposition close to the end of NOTS pier where it will stay in stand-by mode for the glider recovery. b) SPAWAR dive boat moves into position As the RHIB moves away from the deployment site, the SPAWAR SSC-SD dive boat moves into position. 6) SPAWAR divers prep glider The SPAWAR divers deploy and follow the surface line to the glider where they will check its attitude and point it away from the island. 7) Glider is released by divers and the ascent trajectory monitored. Prior to releasing the glider, the divers will detach the surface line and move it away from the glider s flight path to prevent fouling during ascent. The glider then can be released a distance away from the glider via a pull cord (Fig. 3). This will enable video recording without the diver in view of the camera. The divers are responsible for performing the videotaping, visually monitoring the flight of the glider, and reporting back to the Scripps operations personnel once the glider has completed its ascent to the surface. 8) Glider is recovered by RHIB boat When the glider reaches the surface, the SSC-SD dive boat personnel will give the all clear. The RHIB boat then first will recover the anchor weight, float, and surface line. It then will motor to the glider on the surface and re-attach the tow line for repositioning. During this RHIB boat operation, the SSC-SD dive team will report on the glider s flight characteristics to the Scripps personnel remaining on the Sproul. 9) Evaluate procedure At this point, all steps of the procedure are evaluated including the glider trajectory during ascent. Corrections will be made as necessary before proceeding with the next deployment. Once the procedures are within accepted norms and it is felt that a successful video of the glider flight has been recorded, then Rich Arrieta, the videotaper, and Ben Moore, the Navy dive supervisor, will come aboard the R/V Sproul to preview the video with the Sproul scientific party. Once completed, they will transfer back off the Sproul. If the video is of 5

acceptable quality, then the Sproul will recover the XRay glider and any remaining surface floats, lines, and weights, and return to San Diego after notifying the Acoustic Explorer; otherwise, the procedures above will be repeated... The following figure shows the glider wing with the depressor weights holding it to the sea floor. SURFACE LINE RELEASE LINE Figure 3 Deployed XRay glider ready for the surface line to be disconnected, removed from the glider s flight path, and then glider release triggered by pulling on the release line. 6

Schedule May 17-18 th : Install glider launch and recovery system on Sproul (Note: Exact date tbd depending on Glosten tilt survey.) May 21 st : Load glider, setup May 21 st, 21:00: Depart MARFAC for San Clemente Island (NOTS Pier area) May 22 nd, early morning: Sproul notify Acoustic Explorer upon arrival in ops area. May 22 nd, some time during the day: Sproul transfer Slocum and ancillary equipment to SSC-SD Boston whaler. May 22 nd, approx. 0700-1700: Video ops as described above. May 23 rd : Contingency day. Safety In the conduct of all operations associated with testing, SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. All commands assigned responsibility under this plan are enjoined to consider the safety aspects when planning and executing any operations directed by this test plan, and to ensure that all persons involved understand that testing is not to be conducted until safe conditions exist. NO OPERATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED THAT, IN THE OPINION OF THE HOST FACILITY OR TEST DIRECTOR, WILL ENDANGER PERSONNEL OR EQUIPMENT. If any unsafe situation should develop, appropriate corrective action will be taken immediately. Appropriate personnel will be notified as soon as possible of any unsafe circumstances. During daily test briefings, a summary of safety considerations will be presented. The general guidelines and methodologies defined by MIL-STD-882 will be followed in the execution of the safety program. All participants involved in XRay glider testing should understand the scope of responsibility inherent in the assignment of key personnel and must realize that safety is everyone s responsibility. All participants are encouraged to bring to the attention of the chain of command any unsafe conditions that may have been overlooked or gone unnoticed. Of particular relevance are the potential safety issues associated with operation on or near the water. These include: Operations and movement of test personnel on boats and equipment Hazards associated with operating electrical equipment near water Hazards of diving All existing local directives and/or operating procedures related to the above will be followed.

Appendix SPAWAR SSC-SD Dive Team Ben Moore (Dive Supervisor), bmoore@spawar.navy.mil Rich Arrieta (videotaper), rich.arrieta@navy.mil Brian Granger, brian.j.granger@navy.mil Mike Guerrera, guerrera@spawar.navy.mil Vladimir Djapic, djapic@spawar.navy.mil One additional Navy diver DIVE LOCKER at NOTS PIER 619-524-9171 (9172) 8