A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the around effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

An example wing-in-ground effect vehicle includes (i) a main wing having main wing control surfaces; (ii) a tail having tail control surfaces; (iii) a blown-wing propulsion system arranged along the main wing or the tail; (iv) a retractable hydrofoil configured to operate in: (a) an extended configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil extends below a hull of the vehicle for submersion below a water surface and (b) a retracted configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil is retracted at least partially into the hull of the vehicle; and (v) a control system configured to maneuver the vehicle by (i) causing a change in orientation of the retractable hydrofoil when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the extended configuration, and (ii) causing a change in orientation of the main wing control surfaces and tail control surfaces when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the retracted configuration.

An example wing-in-ground effect vehicle includes (i) a main wing having main wing control surfaces; (ii) a tail having tail control surfaces; (iii) a blown-wing propulsion system arranged along the main wing or the tail; (iv) a retractable hydrofoil configured to operate in: (a) an extended configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil extends below a hull of the vehicle for submersion below a water surface and (b) a retracted configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil is retracted at least partially into the hull of the vehicle; and (v) a control system configured to maneuver the vehicle by (i) causing a change in orientation of the retractable hydrofoil when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the extended configuration, and (ii) causing a change in orientation of the main wing control surfaces and tail control surfaces when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the retracted configuration.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

The invention is a vehicle control system which is envisaged to be used in high speed planing watercraft which has a means of control about three axes where the invention controls the said watercraft about at least two axes by actuating control surfaces. The invention uses a microchip based processor (1) to actuate control surfaces based on input from various sensors (3). The invention also uses a three dimension time of flight imaging subsystem (8) to read information of the oceanic wave conditions.

A three stage watercraft for operation in the water as a traditional boat at low speeds in stage one, for operation on the water's surface at mid-range speeds at stage two, and for traveling in ground effect at higher range speeds is disclosed. The three stage craft includes a hydro-wing 12, at least a single hydrofoil 13 to aid with lift from stage one to stage two, and a pair of outboard floats or hydro-floats 16a, 16b supported by the hydro-wing 12, which are also designed to aid with lift from stage one to stage two. A gyration rotor 14 to aid with lift from stage one to stage two may also be provided as may a pair of pivotally mounted air propellers which aid in lift and propulsion by varying their operational angle relative to the plane of travel of the craft.

A three stage watercraft for operation in the water as a traditional boat at low speeds in stage one, for operation on the water's surface at mid-range speeds at stage two, and for traveling in ground effect at higher range speeds is disclosed. The three stage craft includes a hydro-wing 12, at least a single hydrofoil 13 to aid with lift from stage one to stage two, and a pair of outboard floats or hydro-floats 16a, 16b supported by the hydro-wing 12, which are also designed to aid with lift from stage one to stage two. A gyration rotor 14 to aid with lift from stage one to stage two may also be provided as may a pair of pivotally mounted air propellers which aid in lift and propulsion by varying their operational angle relative to the plane of travel of the craft.