An autonomous sailing vessel may include a hull, a mast, a sail, and a sail release device. The mast may be mechanically coupled to the hull. The sail may be mechanically coupled to the mast. The sail release device may be operably coupled to the sail and may be configured to automatically release the sail to spill excess wind. Alternatively or additionally, the sail may include a fore sail element coupled to the mast and an aft sail element rotatably coupled at a fore of the aft sail element to an aft of the fore sail element. In this and other embodiments, the autonomous sailing vessel may further include a camber control assembly to automatically set a camber angle between the fore and aft sail elements.

Techniques are provided for an unmanned surface vehicle including a vehicle body and a rigid square-rig wing coupled with the primary vehicle body. The rigid square-rig wing includes a first surface configured to interact with wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of drag, and a second surface configured to interact with the wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of lift. The unmanned surface vehicle further includes a rudder and a control system comprising a controller, the control system configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position.

A system for collection of rainwater in the open ocean may include: (a) one or more ocean-going vessels, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured for collection and storage of rainwater, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured to drift with surface ocean currents in order to navigate to one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery location is on or near to a land mass; and (b) one or more delivery stations located at the one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery station is configured to receive stored rainwater from one or more of the ocean-going vessels.

A floating carrier includes an embedded holder assembly provided in the floating carrier. The embedded holder assembly includes a holder and a framework structure. The holder has an opening at one end. This application further provides a floating body fixing unit, a floating body, and a method for installing the floating body. The floating body fixing unit includes a metal grid and the floating carrier mounted in the metal grid. The floating carrier is mounted in the metal grid through the holder with an opening at one end, through which a metal cable is placed in the fixator. The opening is closed by a bolt.

An electrically-powered unmanned marine vehicle and method of making same, including providing a hull of the marine vehicle and mounting a submersible electric thruster to the hull via a mounting interface of the thruster. The thruster includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly forms an internal cavity with a plurality of magnets arranged radially outwardly of the internal cavity. The stator assembly includes electrical windings that are disposed within the internal cavity of the rotor assembly. The thruster is configured to allow the internal cavity to be flooded with water when the thruster is submerged, and the electrical windings are encapsulated with a protective barrier that prevents the flooded water from contacting the windings. The thruster of the marine vehicle is thus water cooled, and the electromotive forces provided by the windings generate sufficient thrust to propel the marine vehicle through the water.

A system for collection of rainwater in the open ocean may include: (a) one or more ocean-going vessels, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured for collection and storage of rainwater, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured to drift with surface ocean currents in order to navigate to one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery location is on or near to a land mass; and (b) one or more delivery stations located at the one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery station is configured to receive stored rainwater from one or more of the ocean-going vessels.

A hybrid energy harvesting system for powering underwater vehicles having at least one thermal engine, at least one of a solar or a wave energy harvester, and a battery which stores electric energy produced by the harvesters. The energy harvesters keep the battery charged and thereby expand an underwater vehicle's operational areas to high latitudes and shallow water. Multiple thermal engines employing different phase-change materials can be used to expand the vehicle's working temperature range and thus allow it to operate over a larger area. An electric motor powered by the battery and a pump driven by the motor can be used to pump hydraulic fluid between the accumulators and external bladders of the thermal engines to cause the vehicle to descend and ascend when the thermal gradient to which the vehicle is subjected is insufficient.

The present invention provides a solar panel float in which an increase in the number of components is prevented and which is easy to assemble. A float for mounting a solar panel is provided with: an annular float portion; a first support portion that supports an edge on one side of the solar panel; and a second support portion that supports an edge on the other side of the solar panel. The first support portion includes a first support plate portion rising from a wall surface on one side of an inner periphery of the annular float portion. The first support plate portion is formed of a cut-and-raised piece that has been cut and raised, from a flat plate portion integrally formed so as to close the inner periphery during molding of the annular float portion, using a lower-side portion of the flat plate portion as a bending-fulcrum point.

Provided is a floating-type on-water support apparatus including: a ball; a floating unit including a floating part, wherein the floating part has an upper plate supporting the ball so that the ball is rotatable, an interior formed to be hollow, and a lower plate provided with a spherical surface portion and floats on water; a support rod coupled to the ball and having one end exposed above the water so that a structure is installable thereon and the other end heavier than the one end so as to stand vertically to be accommodated in the floating part; and a base unit having one end installed on a lower portion of the support rod to support the support rod and the other end in roll contact with the spherical surface portion.

The present invention relates to a submerged-floating type water house. The house comprises: a first lower side part and a second lower side part formed symmetrically with respect to each other; a first upper side part and a second upper side part formed symmetrically and extending from the first lower side part and the second lower side part; and a front part and a rear part formed in front of and in back of the first lower side part and second lower side part and the first upper side part and second upper side part, thereby forming a rhombic-shaped body and floating in water.