A remotely controlled, self-propelled floating cooler includes a main body member that generally has an ovoid shape, as shown, for streamlined movement through the water. The main body member is generally hollow, which allows for ice, drinks, food, and the like to be placed inside of the main body member through an opening or hatch on top. A lid may be removably secured to the opening on top, and preferably includes securing means for maintaining the lid in a closed position, even in rough water. Remotely controlled propulsion means are attached to an underside of the cooler on one end thereof. Other features include an audio receiver with speakers, port and starboard running lights, GPS navigation, submerged spotlights, and video cameras mounted above and below the waterline, all of which may be operated via a remote control device.

A vehicle door handle circuit coupled to a vehicle control unit includes a transmission antenna circuit, a control circuit and an actuation sensor via which the door handle circuit receives DC voltage for supplying the control circuit or AC voltage for controlling the antenna circuit. The antenna circuit includes a series oscillating circuit with an inductor and a capacitor. A series circuit including a first capacitor and a first rectifier is connected between two contacts and in parallel with the antenna circuit allows part of the AC voltage signal to be used for the voltage supply of the control circuit. A second rectifier connects one of the two contacts to the series circuit. A third rectifier is also provided in order to feed DC voltage to the vehicle control unit.

Virtual anchor features for a navigation/autopilot system for use on a marine vessel are provided herein. An example apparatus associated with a marine vessel includes a processor and memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to receive user input indicating at least a first geographic location and a desired offset distance; determine a current geographic location of at least one of the marine vessel or the apparatus; determine if the current geographic location is within a distance threshold of the desired offset distance from the first geographic location; and cause, in an instance in which the current geographic location is not within the distance threshold, one or more motors of the marine vessel to operate to cause the marine vessel to move to a new geographic location accordingly. A desired orbit pattern may also be employed.

Disclosed herein are hydrofoil vessels and systems integrated with renewable energy sources. In one aspect, the hydrofoil vessel includes one or more hulls, an omni-directional platform connecting the one or more hulls of the hydrofoil vessel. The omni-directional platform may include at least one of: a sail, a wind turbine, a solar panel, a hydroelectric motor, a hydrofoil controller platform, and a battery component. Also disclosed herein are methods and computer readable medium for controlling an omni direct modular hydrofoil vessel having one or more hulls integrated with renewable-energy sources.

A programmable buoy system having one or more buoys capable of connecting through the Internet to a buoy command server. The buoy command server relays commands to each of the one or more buoys in response to user commands sent from a buoys command interface application on a mobile device. The programmable buoy system includes one or more buoys each having a hull with two or more pontoons where the hull has a top side and bottom side. A stationary rudder extends downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use. A motor is pivotably connected on each one or more buoys, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull. The propeller and motor move the select one of the one or more buoys in the body of water.

A programmable buoy system having one or more buoys capable of connecting through the Internet to a buoy command server. The buoy command server relays commands to each of the one or more buoys in response to user commands sent from a buoys command interface application on a mobile device. The programmable buoy system includes one or more buoys each having a hull with two or more pontoons where the hull has a top side and bottom side. A stationary rudder extends downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use. A motor is pivotably connected on each one or more buoys, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull. The propeller and motor move the select one of the one or more buoys in the body of water.

Multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are operated by a single host surface vehicle (HSV) by configuring the AUVs with intermediate nodes (such as unmanned surface vehicles (USVs)) so as to allow the HSV to manage multiple AUVs. The intermediate nodes act as a relay for communications between the HSV and the AUVs allowing the HSV to scale to higher numbers of vehicles thus simultaneously operating the entire fleet of AUVs. The AUVs may provide underwater mapping data.

Disclosed is a surface vessel with motorised mechanical propulsion including a fusiform hull and a keel in the bottom part of the hull, the hull having an elongate shape in a longitudinal direction of the vessel, the keel including, at the bottom end of same, a bulb linked to the hull by a linking part of the keel, the maximum width of the linking part being smaller than the maximum width of the bulb, the maximum length of the linking part being smaller than the maximum length of the bulb, the lengths and widths being considered respectively in the longitudinal direction of the vessel and a horizontal transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The hull has a total width to total length ratio of less than 0.2 and a maximum length of less than 20 metres.

Apparatus and methods for measuring a position of a point on a submerged surface. The apparatus includes: a platform; a liquid-tight pressure vessel fixedly coupled to the platform, wherein the liquid-tight pressure vessel is formed in part by an optically transparent enclosure; a pan-tilt mechanism coupled to the platform and disposed inside the liquid-tight pressure vessel; a camera mounted to the pan-tilt mechanism; a laser range meter affixed to the camera; and a refractive index sensor coupled to and disposed outside the liquid-tight pressure vessel. In accordance with one proposed implementation, the optically transparent enclosure is spherical, the pan-tilt mechanism has a pan axis and a tilt axis that intersect at a center of the optically transparent enclosure, and the laser range meter is located to emit a laser beam that is perpendicular to the optically transparent enclosure.

The present invention provides a remote-controllable underwater device for manoeuvring a vessel. The device comprising at least one housing, a connection unit provided on the housing for rigidly attaching below the water to the vessel to be manoeuvred, at least one propeller mounted on the housing for moving the device and the vessel attached to the connection unit, an antenna for communication with the device from a remote control unit, at least one sensor for path tracking and positioning of the device and the vessel, and a power source for providing power to the connection unit, the propeller, the antenna, and the sensor.