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.

The present disclosure relates to sea floor mapping, and more particularly to a method, system, and apparatus for mapping a large swath of sea floor at substantial depths. An example autonomous underwater vehicle may include: a controller; a body having a front end and a rear end and defining a cavity and a center of gravity; a first dive plane extending from the body proximate the center of gravity; a second dive plane extending from the body substantially opposite of the first dive plane proximate the center of gravity; a counterweight disposed within the cavity configured to be moved between the front end and the rear end of the body, wherein a fore-aft pitch of the body of the autonomous underwater vehicle is controlled by the controller through movement of the counterweight toward the front end or the rear end of the body.

The invention relates to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The AUV includes a frame and tunnel thrusters for propelling and orientating the AUV, where the tunnel thrusters have inlets and outlets, each of outlets being directed in a different orientation, and are mounted to the frame. The AUV further includes fasteners for connecting the frame to a hull, where the fasteners have an orientation that is substantially parallel to the tunnel thrusters. The hull has a substantially spherical shape and further includes (1) a bottom plate with inlet openings, (2) a top plate with outlet openings, where the top plate and the bottom plate are affixed to the fasteners and hold plate rings of the hull in place, and (3) each of the plate rings that further includes a corresponding retention ring and corresponding central plates.

A hand controller for commanding or controlling a target, such as a remote vehicle or a virtual target, includes a display mounted on a free end of a joystick for indicating graphically a direction of the remote vehicle from the hand controller and an orientation of the target relative to the hand controller's frame of reference, based on the location and orientation of the target received by the hand controller from the target and the location and orientation of the hand controller.

A computer-implemented method includes receiving data from one or more sensors that detect one or more environmental parameters associated with an autonomous submersible structure, determining one or more navigation parameters based on the one or more environmental parameters and one or more viability profiles associated with cargo contained within the autonomous submersible structure and that specify constraints on the one or more environmental parameters, and controlling, based on the one or more navigation parameters, a propulsion system of the autonomous submersible structure.

A method for harnessing wave energy includes providing a vehicle to a body of water, the vehicle. The method includes submerging the vehicle to a depth in the body of water. The method includes operating the motor-generator of the vehicle in the first quadrant of the motor-generator. The method includes detecting a phase of a wave in the body of water based information from the processor of the detected phase. The method includes orienting the vehicle to lag the phase of the wave based on the detected phase of the wave. The method includes synchronizing an inertial acceleration of the vehicle to movement of the wave. The method includes switching the motor-generator to the second quadrant for generation mode to convert energy from the movement of the wave to electrical energy. The method includes storing the energy from the wave in the rechargeable battery source.

A method of obtaining data with a sensor of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the AUV comprising a bladder which contains a gas and is exposed to ambient water pressure. A downward thrust force is generated which causes the AUV to descend through a body of water, wherein the bladder contracts as the AUV descends due to an associated increase in the ambient water pressure, the contraction of the bladder causing the gas to compress and the AUV to become negatively buoyant. Next the AUV lands on a bed of the body of water. After the AUV has landed on the bed, the sensor is operated to obtain data with the AUV stationary and negatively buoyant and a weight of the AUV supported by the bed. After the data has been obtained, an upward thrust force is generated which overcomes the negative buoyancy of the AUV and causes the AUV to ascend through the body of water, the ascent of the AUV causing the bladder to expand due to the associated decrease in the ambient water pressure, the expansion of the bladder causing the gas to decompress and the AUV to become neutrally buoyant.

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to compensation of magnetic data, and, in particular, to a system and method for compensation of magnetic data as collected during autonomous underwater vehicle mapping surveys.

The present invention describes a drone that is launched from a handheld piece and may be navigated by controls that are positioned on the handheld piece in any direction at varying speeds. After the drone is launched the operator of the handheld piece deploys a hook stowed in the drone that descends into the water. Although the present invention is most suitable for fishing it will be readily apparent that there are several other important fields of use where this invention may be beneficial by substituting the hook with other components.

An aquaculture system can include an aquafarm with one or more aquatic pods of aquatic organisms and a remote device to manage the aquafarm. An aquatic pod may be associated with an aquatic structure with a buoyancy system and a control device to automatically perform daily farming functions. The aquatic structure may include an enclosure to hold the aquatic organisms. The control device may be configured to use a smart buoyancy assistant to control the buoyancy system and to determine the farming task to perform in response to environmental stimuli. The remote device can receive data representing crop metrics, harvest results, and sensor data. The remote device can aggregate data from multiple aquatic pods and correlate the data to generate aquaculture models to improve the harvest results. The remote device can generate overview and maintenance reports for the aquafarm.