Controlling buoyancy of an underwater vehicle using a dual-internal-reservoir configuration to enhance efficiency of inflating and deflating an external chamber

An underwater vehicle comprising:

• buoyancy control system comprising:
• three or more reservoirs including a first reservoir, a second reservoir, and a third reservoir, wherein individual ones of the three or more reservoirs have (i) a volume that is alterable, (ii) a medium within the volume, and (iii) a fluid pressure of the medium within the volume;
• two or more pumps configured to transfer one or more media between the three or more reservoirs, wherein the two or more pumps include a first pump and a second pump, wherein the three or more reservoirs are configured and arranged such that changes in volume of the three or more reservoirs cause a change in buoyancy of the underwater vehicle,
• wherein the first pump is directly coupled with the first reservoir, and
• wherein the second pump is directly coupled only with the second reservoir and the third reservoir such that the second pump is not directly coupled with the first reservoir;
• wherein the three or more reservoirs are disposed such that force is applied to the two or more reservoirs responsive to differences between fluid pressures of the one or more media in the two or more reservoirs;
• and
• a sensor configured to provide a flow signal conveying information associated with a flow of the one or more media;
• and
• one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions, the computer program instructions comprising:
• a buoyancy control component configured to control the transfer of the one or more media based on the flow signal.