Millions of IPs Create Science and Technology Talents to Strengthen the Country丨Not afraid of storms, "Nezha" has gone from science fiction to reality

In the world of science fiction, imagination often depicts miraculous future technologies for us. Today, with the birth of the "Nezha" sea and air amphibious unmanned aircraft, the boundary between science fiction and reality has been broken again. This is not just an aircraft, but also a symbol of the spirit of Chinese scientific and technological workers who have worked hard for eight years and overcome difficulties, and it is also our persistent pursuit of the dream of becoming a maritime power.

With its unique design of flying/diving in one, Nezha breaks the boundary between traditional underwater vehicles and aerial vehicles, and realizes free travel between the ocean and the sky. Flying/diving in one, these two completely different functions are perfectly integrated in Nezha. It can dive deep into the seabed and explore the unknown world like a traditional underwater vehicle, and it can soar into the sky like a drone, bringing unprecedented convenience to the fields of marine scientific research, maritime emergency search and rescue, etc.

However, the realization of the dream is not smooth sailing. The development process of the flying/submarine integrated vehicle is full of challenges and hardships. Due to the complex working conditions involved, the R&D team also faces higher requirements. They not only need to be proficient in the design optimization theory of traditional aircraft and submarines, but also need to continuously explore new knowledge systems to provide solid theoretical support for the development of cross-domain vehicles.

How can we make flying and diving coexist harmoniously on the same platform? How can we ensure that the aircraft can sail efficiently and stably in both water and air? Faced with these technical challenges, the R&D team has gone through eight years of hard exploration and continuous experiments, and finally successfully overcame the difficulties, making "Nezha" from science fiction into reality.

During the development of Nezha, the team's pioneering "surfing algorithm" was undoubtedly a highlight. This algorithm cleverly solves the problem of stable cross-domain water exit of the vehicle under the interference of wind, waves and currents in the real ocean environment. The inspiration comes from the surfer constantly adjusting the direction of the paddle board and waiting for the surge to jump up. After three years of research, the team successfully transformed this idea into an actual algorithm, providing a unique "solution" to the industry's problems of cross-domain sea and air.

During the process of Nezha's development and practical application, each sea trial was a severe test of the team's will and technology. Especially during the test in the open sea, due to the strong winds and waves, the success rate of Nezha's takeoff was extremely low. However, it was these failures and setbacks that inspired the team's fighting spirit and innovative spirit. They constantly summed up their experiences and lessons, adjusted their strategies and methods, and finally successfully realized the flight of Nezha into the sky and into the sea.

Zeng Zheng, founder of the Nayu Laboratory and associate researcher of the Marine Technology Team of the School of Oceanography of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said: "As scientific and technological workers, we are well aware of the importance of a 'maritime power'. Building a maritime power requires strong scientific and technological support and innovation capabilities. The successful development of the 'Nezha' sea and air amphibious unmanned vehicle is one of the important breakthroughs we have made in this field. It not only provides agile and efficient solutions for marine scientific research, maritime emergency search and rescue and other fields, but also wins the initiative for my country in the international marine science and technology competition. More importantly, the exploration spirit and innovative practice of 'Nezha' will inspire more scientific and technological workers to devote themselves to the cause of marine science and technology and contribute to the construction of a maritime power."

Looking into the future, the Nezha amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle will continue to play its role in the field of ocean exploration and operations. At the same time, with the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous expansion of applications, the Nezha and its subsequent models are expected to demonstrate their unique advantages and value in more fields.

Review expert: Zeng Zheng, associate researcher, doctoral supervisor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, founder of Nezha Lab