Biomimetic Unmanned Underwater Vehicle - Tubitak
For my TÜBİTAK high school research project, part of a national research program for high school students in Türkiye, I designed and built a soft-bodied, neutrally buoyant unmanned underwater vehicle. The main goal was to develop a simple and low-cost underwater system that could move and operate in a controlled environment.
I started by designing the structure of the vehicle and selecting suitable electronic and mechanical components. I used an ESP32 microcontroller to control the system and an L298N motor driver to control the motors. One of the main technical challenges was achieving neutral buoyancy so that the vehicle could remain at a desired depth without continuously moving upward or downward. I tested different configurations and adjusted the weight and buoyancy of the vehicle to improve its stability underwater.
After assembling the system, I tested the vehicle in a swimming pool. During these tests, I observed its movement, stability, and response to control commands and made adjustments based on the results.
The project gave me practical experience in electronics, programming, mechanical design, and testing. It also taught me how different areas of engineering come together when developing a complete system. The project received a score of 86 out of 100 in the TÜBİTAK evaluation.