A planning module for a water surface vehicle can determine a vehicle trajectory that avoids one or more moving obstacles, such as civilian marine vessels, by performing a lattice-based heuristic search of a state space for the surface vehicle and selecting control action primitives from a predetermined set of control action primitives based on the search. The planning module can separate a travel space into a plurality of regions and can independently scale the control action primitives in each region based on the moving obstacles therein. The heuristic search includes evaluating a cost function at each state of the state space. The cost function can be based on at least predicted movement of the obstacles responsive to respective maneuvers performed by the surface vehicle at each node of the search.

A planning module for a water surface vehicle can determine a vehicle trajectory that avoids one or more moving obstacles, such as civilian marine vessels, by performing a lattice-based heuristic search of a state space for the surface vehicle and selecting control action primitives from a predetermined set of control action primitives based on the search. The planning module can separate a travel space into a plurality of regions and can independently scale the control action primitives in each region based on the moving obstacles therein. The heuristic search includes evaluating a cost function at each state of the state space. The cost function can be based on at least predicted movement of the obstacles responsive to respective maneuvers performed by the surface vehicle at each node of the search.

A marine electric power steering system includes an input assembly, a steering actuator, and a cable assembly. The input assembly is operatively connected to a steering shaft. The input assembly has a steering sensor assembly and a motor assembly. The steering actuator is disposed within a pontoon and is in communication with the steering sensor assembly. The cable assembly extends through a wall of the pontoon. The cable assembly operatively connects the steering actuator and a steering device that is pivotally mounted to the pontoon.

A vehicle control device is provided. The device includes a target bearing calculating module configured to calculate a target bearing of a vehicle based on a direction of a disturbance, a stern bearing calculating module configured to calculate a stern bearing, and a rudder mechanism drive signal determining module configured to determine a rudder angle command so that the stern bearing approaches the target bearing, and determine a rudder mechanism drive signal based on the rudder angle command.

A steering system for a vessel includes a tiller system having a tiller arm; a rudder system having a rudder; and a push rod system having a push rod linking the tiller arm to the rudder. Actuation of the tiller arm moves the rudder in an orientation providing directional control over the vessel.

A method of automatically moving, by an automatic location placement system, a marine vessel includes receiving, by a central processing unit, from a vision ranging photography system, at least one optical feed including data providing a mapping of an environment surrounding a marine vessel. The method includes displaying, by the central processing unit, on a touch screen monitor, the mapping of the environment. The method includes receiving, by the central processing unit, from the touch screen monitor, target location data. The method includes directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of a propulsion system of the marine vessel, to move the marine vessel to the targeted location, using the mapping.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide stabilized directional control for a vehicle. A directional control system for an embodiment may include a logic device adapted to receive directional data about a vehicle and determine nominal vehicle feedback from the directional data. The nominal vehicle feedback may be used to adjust a directional control signal provided to an actuator of a vehicle. The directional control signal may be limited to a value below an actuator rate limit before a directional control signal is adjusted by the nominal vehicle feedback. A directional control system may include a logic device, a memory, one or more sensors, one or more actuators/controllers, and modules to interface with users, sensors, actuators, and/or other modules of a vehicle.

The invention relates to the field of methods and floating platforms for exploiting wind energy offshore. In particular, the invention provides a floating platform (1) anchored to at least one anchor point (7, 7), including a wind turbine (2), and a shift device for shifting the wind turbine (2), which device is configured to shift the wind turbine (2) as a function of a set of parameters, including wind direction (V), in order to minimize the aerodynamic wake effects, and the invention also provides a method of exploiting wind energy by means of a set of floating platforms (1), each of which includes at least one wind turbine (2) and is anchored to at least one anchor point (7,7). In this method, at least one wind turbine (2) of said set of floating platforms is shifted as a function of a set of parameters, including wind direction (V) in order to minimize the aerodynamic wake effects and in order to maximize the power generation of the set of wind turbines.

The invention relates to the field of methods and floating platforms for exploiting wind energy offshore. In particular, the invention provides a floating platform (1) anchored to at least one anchor point (7, 7), including a wind turbine (2), and a shift device for shifting the wind turbine (2), which device is configured to shift the wind turbine (2) as a function of a set of parameters, including wind direction (V), in order to minimize the aerodynamic wake effects, and the invention also provides a method of exploiting wind energy by means of a set of floating platforms (1), each of which includes at least one wind turbine (2) and is anchored to at least one anchor point (7,7). In this method, at least one wind turbine (2) of said set of floating platforms is shifted as a function of a set of parameters, including wind direction (V) in order to minimize the aerodynamic wake effects and in order to maximize the power generation of the set of wind turbines.

The present disclosure relates to a ship's propulsion unit such as a ship's azimuthing propulsion unit. The propulsion unit can include at least one supporting metal sheet arranged between an support section of a shell structure of the propulsion unit and an cylindrical outer surface of a cylindrical section of a motor housing section of the shell structure for providing additional support for the motor housing section of the shell structure at the shell structure of the support section.