Objectives  The maneuverability prediction of small saildrone plays a key role in achieving intelligent tracking and navigation. In order to study the relationship between rudder angle and hull motion, and to predict the maneuverability accurately,

  Methods  in this paper, the numerical simulation method is used to systematically study the ship-rudder oblique viscous flow field model and hydrodynamic properties of saildrone. Before simulation of hydrodynamic properties of ship-rudder system, the numerical calculation results and theoretical method of the hull and open water rudder are preliminarily validated. Then the numerical calculation of ship-rudder oblique viscous flow field of saildrone is carried out. Finally, the MMG (ship manoeuvring mathematical model group) method is used to establish the maneuver motion model of the saildrone. The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method is used to solve the differential equation. The influence of the rudder on the maneuverability of the hull is analyzed by simulating the hull zigzag navigation.

  Results  The results show that it is feasible to predict the maneuverability of the saildrone with CFD method.

  Conclusions  The maneuverability of the hull is applicable for the safe navigation of saildrone in defined conditions.