Naviator is an amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Javier Diez, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and his students at Rutgers University. The prototype UAV has eight propellers mounted on four motors and can move underwater and take off from the surface of the water. The current model is tethered with a thin cable to enable control underwater. Future models will feature acoustic control mechanisms.
According to the technical research paper on the drone, "as the vehicle approaches the surface (water/air interface) both propellers (top/bottom) are generating lift. While going through the interface, the top propellers will momentarily slow down to ensure a smooth transition, and as soon as they are clear of the water, they can accelerate to entrain air and generate lift again."
The project was initiated in 2013. In 2015, the office of Naval Research (ONR) granted the researchers $618,000 to continue development. Potential future uses for such a vehicle might include mine counter-measures.
12 September 2013 - Discussion of early prototype development.
13 November 2015 - Working model.
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