SPURV
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SPURV, or Self-Propelled Underwater Research Vehicle, was an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle built in 1957 at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory.[1] The research and development of this vehicle was funded by the United States Office of Naval Research (ONR), and it became the US Navy’s first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The navy used a total of 7 SPURV vehicles until 1979.[2]
The original engineers of SPURV were Bob Van Wagennen (mechanical) and Wayne Nodland (electrical). Terry Ewart calculated the hydrodynamics design on a Berkeley EASE analog computer. SPURV was machined by Boeing from a forging of 7078-T6 aluminum.
Capability
SPURV had an operating depth of at least 3000 meters and a maximum depth of 3600 meters. It could go about 4-5 knots for about 4 hours. A propulsion battery consisting of 2 sets of 16 silver zinc cells connected in a parallel through diodes was the primary power source for SPURV. The battery provided a 24-volt, 200 ampere-hour supply. Secondary power came from 4 solid-state converters.[1]
Acoustic signals from the accompanying research vessel guided SPURV in moving below the surface of the water. SPURV then generated models of underwater physical properties such as ocean currents and temperature.[3]