The route setting method is provided with: an underwater waypoint input step for inputting underwater waypoints of the underwater vehicle; a target value setting step for setting initial target values at the underwater waypoints; an underwater navigation simulation step for simulating an underwater navigation route of the underwater vehicle by using water bottom topography data and the target values on the basis of a dynamics model of the underwater vehicle; and a target value update step for updating the target values on the basis of an objective function which is calculated on the basis of the underwater navigation route obtained through the simulation in the underwater navigation simulation step. Optimum target values are derived by repeating the underwater navigation simulation step and the target value update step.

Indoors positioning and navigation systems and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for inspecting or maintaining a storage tank includes a vehicle having: at least one sensor for determining properties of a storage tank and a navigation system. The navigation system includes an acoustic transmitter carried by the vehicle and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor configured to at least partially determine a location of the vehicle with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle also includes a propulsion unit configured to move the vehicle within the storage tank, and an acoustic receiver fixed with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle moves inside the storage tank in concentric arcs with respect to the acoustic receiver.

A passive ballast device, system and method of using same, configured for use with a submersible vehicle in a liquid environment, including a chamber having at least one rigid wall to define at least a portion of a chamber volume, and a passively movable compensator having at least first and second surfaces, the first surface configured to be exposed to the liquid environment, the second surface excluded from the liquid environment, and forming, together with the at least one wall of the chamber, a fluid-tight seal to establish the remainder of the chamber volume, to exclude the liquid environment from the chamber volume and configured to adjust the chamber volume to at least a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume. The chamber volume is configured to establish at least a first buoyancy and second buoyancy, the compensator is configured to respond to a change in environmental pressure within the liquid environment, and the compensator is passively moved by the change in environmental pressure to change the first chamber volume to the second chamber volume, thereby changing from the first buoyancy to the second buoyancy.

An AUV includes: an underwater vehicle main body configured to sail along an inspection object located in water or on the bottom of the water; an arm extending from the underwater vehicle main body; an inspection tool portion including a contact portion configured to contact the inspection object and an inspection device configured to inspect the inspection object; and a passive joint provided between the arm and the inspection tool portion and configured to allow passive rotation of the inspection tool portion relative to the arm about at least one axis.

Disclosed herein is a vehicular system, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the vehicular system may include a body, a rotatable head, a plurality of devices, a propulsion assembly, at least one actuator, a power source, and a controller. Further, the rotatable head rotatably coupled to the body. Further, the plurality of devices mounted on the rotatable head. Further, the plurality of devices may include a grabber device and at least one sensing device. Further, the propulsion assembly coupled to the body. Further, the propulsion assembly may be electrically powered. Further, the at least one actuator operationally coupled to the rotatable head. Further, the at least one actuator may be configured to perform at least one actuator operation. Further, the power source electrically coupled to the at least one actuator and a propulsion assembly. Further, the controller communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator.

When on-water control means 20 having moving means and capable of moving near a water surface controls a multiple underwater vehicles 30 which cruise in water, the moving means 23 controls movement of the on-water control means 20 such that the multiple underwater vehicles 30 are located in a control region X where the on-water control means 20 can position the multiple underwater vehicles 30 utilizing acoustic positioning means 24 provided in the on-water control means 20. According to this, it is possible to deploy and operate the multiple underwater vehicles in water and safely and efficiently carry out survey operation and the like such as water bottom exploration.

A Data Transmitting Marine Vessel System (DRTMEVS) that deploys and provisions the operation of both an aerial visual and data collection drone and an underwater camera and data collection system ROV to gather data at, above, and below the surface of the water simultaneously or individually, or in multiples. The vessel having geodetic and GPS guidance systems that determine the course and actions of the crafts either in a pre-programmed autonomous mode or from a remote operator. The control of the three separate remotely controlled data collection systems and craft are consolidated in the form of a vessel of (DRTMEVS) and monitored via a multitude of possible signals anywhere in the world from a control center such as an individual computer.

Indoors positioning and navigation systems and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for inspecting or maintaining a storage tank includes a vehicle having: at least one sensor for determining properties of a storage tank and a navigation system. The navigation system includes an acoustic transmitter carried by the vehicle and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor configured to at least partially determine a location of the vehicle with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle also includes a propulsion unit configured to move the vehicle within the storage tank, and an acoustic receiver fixed with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle moves inside the storage tank in concentric arcs with respect to the acoustic receiver.

The disclosure first measures the current information of the underwater situation the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is found in, then calculates the force of the UUV on each degree of freedom (DOF) based on the information. Then the force on each UUV is fused with the respective force output by a command of a terminal to obtain a resultant force on each UUV Further, a thrust distribution matrix is used to distribute the resultant forces to the various thrusters of the UUV to obtain the output forces of the respective thrusters. Finally, the output force of each thruster is fused with the respective output force of the thruster that is output by the command of the terminal to obtain the thrust output required by the thruster.

Indoors positioning and navigation systems and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for inspecting or maintaining a storage tank includes a vehicle having: at least one sensor for determining properties of a storage tank and a navigation system. The navigation system includes an acoustic transmitter carried by the vehicle and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor configured to at least partially determine a location of the vehicle with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle also includes a propulsion unit configured to move the vehicle within the storage tank, and an acoustic receiver fixed with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle moves inside the storage tank in concentric arcs with respect to the acoustic receiver.