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.

Image recording as long as possible during one activity is required in deep sea exploration. Necessity of multi-directional image recording, optical and chemical observations and probing of mineral resources of seabed are also increased. There is no underwater exploration device enable these requirements. It is disclosed that at least one battery-driven underwater exploration body having three pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres for housing an image capturing device, an illumination device, a recording device, an acoustic communication device and a control device controlling thereof and at least one battery body having an approximately the same shape and structure as the underwater exploration body are connected with each other by a connecting tool to provide the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

Systems and methods are disclosed for autonomous joint detection-classification of acoustic sources of interest. Localization and tracking from unmanned marine vehicles are also described. Based on receiving acoustic signals originating above or below the surface, a processor can process the acoustic signals to determine the target of interest associated with the acoustic signal. The methods and systems autonomously and jointly detect and classify a target of interest. A target track can be generated corresponding to the locations of the detected target of interest. A classifier can be used representing spectral characteristics of a target of interest.

An apparatus for towing geophysical sources includes a housing; a first geophysical source disposed in the housing so that the first geophysical source is partially exposed to a surrounding environment; and a plurality of ballast tanks coupled to the housing and configured to at least one of: change a buoyancy of the source towing system; and shift a center of mass of the source towing system. A method of towing a geophysical source includes towing a source towing system through a body of water at a towing depth; and operating a plurality of ballast tanks of the source towing system to at least one of: change a buoyancy of the source towing system; and shift a center of mass of the source towing system.

A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computer system may include determining, by a computing device, a first location on a body of water. The first location may be transmitted to a drone buoy. Data may be received from the drone buoy. A second location on the body of water to send to the drone buoy may be determined based upon, at least in part, the data received from the drone buoy.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed relating to a body towable behind a vessel in a body of water, an arm rotatably coupled to the body, and one or more foils disposed on the arm. The arm, when deployed, is configured to be free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water. The one or more foils are configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed. Due to the free rotation of the arm, the foils impart tension force to the body and not torque forces.

A system for bridle bite adjustment can include a tow rope coupled to a paravane at a first position on a lever arm and a spur line coupled to the paravane at a second position on the lever arm. The system can also include a winch to adjust a deployed length of the tow rope. The tow rope and the lever arm can adjust a bridle bite of the paravane by when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch, thereby balancing tension between the tow rope and the spur line.

An underwater exploration system enables signal transmission and reception to and from an underwater vehicle through wireless communication, that enables carriage of the underwater vehicle to a survey point and collection of the underwater vehicle, and, further, that enables a quick change of the survey point. The underwater exploration system includes: an underwater exploration unit including: a floating member including a first antenna and configured to support the first antenna above a water surface; and an underwater vehicle connected to the first antenna via a signal line; a communication device including a second antenna configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal to and from the first antenna; and an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to carry the underwater exploration unit and drop the underwater exploration unit to the water surface.

Systems and methods for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers. In some embodiments, the system includes a carrier containing receivers. The carrier can include a frame having a mounted structure (e.g., a movable carousel, movable conveyor, fixed parallel rails, or a barrel) for seating and releasing the receivers (e.g., axially stacked). The structure can facilitate delivering receivers to a discharge port on the frame. The system can include a discharge mechanism for removing receivers from the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes loading a carrier with receivers, transporting the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed, and using an ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed. In some embodiments, an ROV adjacent the seabed engages a deployment line that guides receivers from the vessel down to the ROV for on-time delivery and placement on the seabed.

Marine geophysical damper system. At least some of the example embodiments are methods of manufacturing a geophysical data product including obtaining geophysical data by a sensor streamer; and recording the geophysical data on a tangible computer-readable medium. The obtaining may include: towing a sensor streamer and a dilt buoy, the dilt buoy coupled to a proximal end of the sensor streamer by a line, the sensor streamer is submerged in a body of water and the dilt buoy is disposed at the surface the body of water; and during the towing measuring movement of the dilt buoy caused by surface wave action; and selectively damping relative movement between the dilt buoy and the sensor streamer, the relative movement caused by the surface wave action, and the selectively damping by a damper associated with the line.