A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a module that enables the vehicle to be scuttled or destroyed.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a module that enables the vehicle to be scuttled or destroyed.

The invention relates to the field of special purpose robotic systems to conduct external functions such as cleaning, monitoring and inspection of structures such as tubular assets in a splash zone. The splash zone is defined as the section of a marine structure that is periodically in and out of water due to the action of waves or tides, usually falling within (+)10m to (−)20m water depth. In embodiments, splash zone inspection robot system 1 comprises station 300, submersible saddle 350, submersible robot 400, and subsea robot controller 308. A predetermined set of controllable clamps selectively secure submersible robot 400 to submersible saddle 350 or structure 2 and allow incremental traversal along submersible saddle 350 or structure 2.

An unmanned vehicle including a vehicle body, a propulsion system, a maneuvering system, a vehicle control system, a buoyancy control system, a sensor system, and at least one power supply is disclosed. The propulsion system, maneuvering system, vehicle control system, buoyancy control system, sensor system, and power supply are carried by the vehicle body. The sensor system includes a sensor adapted to detect an item of interest and provide an item of interest signal to the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system is adapted to receive the item of interest signal, identify an item of interest classification and provide a classification signal. The classification signal is determined by the item of interest classification and is utilized by the propulsion system, maneuvering system, vehicle control system, or buoyancy control system to avoid physical, electrical, acoustic, or thermal detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest.

The system utilizes fluid pressure achieved by increasing depth as a primary component for generation of energy. The system operates by varying its depth through changes in buoyancy. The ballast changes are controlled by electronics powered by a battery charged by a generator driven by a hydraulic system. Rather than utilizing a motor driven pump to generate pressure in the hydraulic system, a piston-like cylinder is applied pressure by the change in hydrostatic pressure as depth increases and draws fluid back into the cylinder as pressure decreases. As the system sinks, outside pressure forces hydraulic fluid to power a generator that charges a battery and powers a pump to deballast. As the system rises, the lowering of ambient pressure, and other internal forces, causes the hydraulic fluid to return to its initial state, where once the ballast begins to take in fluid, the whole process will continue to repeat.

The system utilizes fluid pressure achieved by increasing depth as a primary component for generation of energy. The system operates by varying its depth through changes in buoyancy. The ballast changes are controlled by electronics powered by a battery charged by a generator driven by a hydraulic system. Rather than utilizing a motor driven pump to generate pressure in the hydraulic system, a piston-like cylinder is applied pressure by the change in hydrostatic pressure as depth increases and draws fluid back into the cylinder as pressure decreases. As the system sinks, outside pressure forces hydraulic fluid to power a generator that charges a battery and powers a pump to deballast. As the system rises, the lowering of ambient pressure, and other internal forces, causes the hydraulic fluid to return to its initial state, where once the ballast begins to take in fluid, the whole process will continue to repeat.

The invention relates to a method and system for path planning of a wave glider, comprising acquiring historical navigation data of the glider and an underwater vehicle via a shore-based monitoring center; fitting historical navigation data nonlinearly by a deep learning neural network to obtain a trained network; acquiring real-time navigation data of the glider at an off-line end, real-time navigation data and predetermined shipping track data of the vehicle; obtaining the set of off-line optimized path planning schemes of the glider by the above data and the trained network; and determining an optimal path planning scheme of the glider by the deep learning neural network according to real-time data and constraint data of the glider at the on-line end. The invention can reasonably plan the path of the glider and ensure continuous and reliable information interaction between the glider and the vehicle.

An underwater liquid supply unit includes a first bladder containing a first liquid, a second bladder containing a second liquid, and a third bladder containing a third liquid. The combined volume of the first liquid, second liquid, and third liquid is neutrally buoyant relative to a surrounding medium the liquid supply unit is disposed in (e.g., in seawater). As the first liquid, second liquid, and third liquid are dispensed from the bladders, the bladders may reduce in size in at least one dimension. As the liquids are dispensed, the liquids may be dispensed in a predetermined volumetric ratio based on the density of the liquids to maintain neutral buoyancy of the combined volume of liquid. The underwater liquid supply unit may also include an integrated generator such as a fuel cell, as well as a propeller.

An underwater robot based on a variable-size auxiliary drive and a control method thereof includes a variable-size auxiliary drive module and a main control system. The variable-size auxiliary drive module includes a first variable-size silo, at least two first variable-size units and at least two first gasbags. The first variable-size silo has a first accommodating space with at least two first accommodating subspaces. Each of the first variable-size units includes a first micro push rod motor, a first push rod, a first push plate and a first gas guide tube. The first micro push rod motor, the first push rod and the first push plate are accommodated in the corresponding first accommodating subspace. The first push rod is fixed to the first push plate. one of the first gas guide tubes correspondingly communicates with one of the first accommodating subspaces and one of the first gasbags.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a module for buoyancy control.