An approach system for an autonomous underwater vehicle approaching an underwater facility includes: an underwater facility located in water and including a light emitter configured to radially emit light; and an autonomous underwater vehicle including an underwater vehicle main body and a light receiving array provided at the underwater vehicle main body and including a plurality of light receiving elements that are independent from one another.

The single-jointed underwater robot fish includes a casing, a main board cabin, a motion control cabin and a battery cabin. The outer contour of the casing is a bionic fish shape, one end is a front casing, and the other end is a bionic fishtail structure. The front end of the main board cabin is affixed to the inner side of the front casing, a lens group, an eccentric anti-shake mechanism and a main PCB (printed circuit board) are set in the main board cabin. The motion control cabin is connected to the rear end of the main board cabin. A triaxial linkage device and a transmission device are set in the motion control cabin. The battery cabin is located below the motion control cabin.

An underwater probe (11) comprises a submersible body having an elongated body with a hydrodynamic effective shape for travel in at least one longitudinal direction. There is a power system including two longitudinal side thrusters (21) for allowing the controllable driving of the submersible body in the at least one longitudinal direction and a top thruster (22) for allowing maneuvering in a lateral plane to the longitudinal axis E-E. Also, there is a visual image capture system including a plurality of optical cameras (31, 35) locatable on or at the surface of the elongated body. The probe is modular and has readily connectable and disconnectable modules that can be reconfigured to readily form differing volume and different payload ballast remotely controllable adjustable buoyant probes.

An underwater probe (11) comprises a submersible body having an elongated body with a hydrodynamic effective shape for travel in at least one longitudinal direction. There is a power system including two longitudinal side thrusters (21) for allowing the controllable driving of the submersible body in the at least one longitudinal direction and a top thruster (22) for allowing maneuvering in a lateral plane to the longitudinal axis E-E. Also, there is a visual image capture system including a plurality of optical cameras (31, 35) locatable on or at the surface of the elongated body. The probe is modular and has readily connectable and disconnectable modules that can be reconfigured to readily form differing volume and different payload ballast remotely controllable adjustable buoyant probes.

The invention relates to an underwater device for capturing images of a seabed, comprising at least one sensor for detecting a sensor value, at least one electrical consumer and an electrical energy source for supplying electrical energy to the electrical consumer. The underwater device is characterised in that, based on the sensor value, it is determined whether a hazardous condition exists for the electrical consumer and an energy distribution unit is provided which disconnects the electrical consumer from the electrical energy source if a hazardous condition exists.

The invention relates to an underwater device for capturing images of a seabed, comprising at least one sensor for detecting a sensor value, at least one electrical consumer and an electrical energy source for supplying electrical energy to the electrical consumer. The underwater device is characterised in that, based on the sensor value, it is determined whether a hazardous condition exists for the electrical consumer and an energy distribution unit is provided which disconnects the electrical consumer from the electrical energy source if a hazardous condition exists.

A central payload manager device may include a network switch, a central payload manager processing device, a plurality of connecting interfaces, a plurality of sensor processing devices connected to corresponding ones of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a cell modem or radio link connected to one or more of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a data storage device connected to the processing device, wherein the data storage device is configured to receive and store information from the plurality of sensor processing devices and from the cell modem or radio link via the network switch and the central payload manager processing device; and an iridium modern connecting to the central payload manager processing device and to a corresponding one of the connecting interfaces, wherein the iridium modem is configured to receive and transmit the stored information from the data storage device to an iridium antenna.

A central payload manager device may include a network switch, a central payload manager processing device, a plurality of connecting interfaces, a plurality of sensor processing devices connected to corresponding ones of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a cell modem or radio link connected to one or more of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a data storage device connected to the processing device, wherein the data storage device is configured to receive and store information from the plurality of sensor processing devices and from the cell modem or radio link via the network switch and the central payload manager processing device; and an iridium modern connecting to the central payload manager processing device and to a corresponding one of the connecting interfaces, wherein the iridium modem is configured to receive and transmit the stored information from the data storage device to an iridium antenna.

A system and method for deploying and retrieving a plurality of ocean bottom seismic nodes to and from the seabed. An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is coupled to a node skid that is configured to handle the nodes. The AUV and coupled skid is lowered to and raised from the seabed and a surface vessel in a garage or basket. The skid may have a variable buoyancy system (VBS) formed of a plurality of pipes and a positive displacement pump, such that the VBS is configured to automatically control a buoyancy of the skid. The AUV and/or skid has a plurality of cameras for optical 3D stereo photogrammetry for identification, deployment, and retrieval of the nodes. Also disclosed is a method for retrieving a dead AUV from the ocean bottom by utilizing a garage and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).

A system and method for deploying and retrieving a plurality of ocean bottom seismic nodes to and from the seabed. An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is coupled to a node skid that is configured to handle the nodes. The AUV and coupled skid is lowered to and raised from the seabed and a surface vessel in a garage or basket. The skid may have a variable buoyancy system (VBS) formed of a plurality of pipes and a positive displacement pump, such that the VBS is configured to automatically control a buoyancy of the skid. The AUV and/or skid has a plurality of cameras for optical 3D stereo photogrammetry for identification, deployment, and retrieval of the nodes. Also disclosed is a method for retrieving a dead AUV from the ocean bottom by utilizing a garage and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).