Asymmetric Steering Hydrodynamics Identification of a Differential Drive Unmanned Surface Vessel

This paper identifies the asymmetric steering characteristics of a Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel (WAM-V) deployed as an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV). Differentially steered propellers create a virtual rudder movement without explicitly inducing lateral rudder forces. However, a rotating propeller will generate a small lateral force, depending on its rotational direction and speed, also known as propeller walk. The WAM-V USV uses two similar...