6-DOF Modeling and Simulation of a Collaborative Catamaran Unmanned Vehicle with an Aerial Vehicle

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially those that carry significant payloads, generally have a short flight range. Having a mobile platform to support them in long-range missions might increase their effectiveness. Therefore, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) was designed to increase the UAV’s flight time. This paper presents the development of a mathematical dynamic model for a catamaran-type USV in collaboration with the UAV. The established modeling has 6 degrees of freedom to analyze the coupled dynamics during the landing and take-off operations of the UAV. This model integrates rigid-body mechanics, with parameters derived from the USV’s three-dimensional CAD model, hydrodynamic effects, and external forces and moments generated by the UAV. Numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the USV’s response to these disturbances. The results quantify the platform’s response, including heave, roll, and pitch oscillations.