A passive ballast device, system and method of using same, configured for use with a submersible vehicle in a liquid environment, including a chamber having at least one rigid wall to define at least a portion of a chamber volume, and a passively movable compensator having at least first and second surfaces, the first surface configured to be exposed to the liquid environment, the second surface excluded from the liquid environment, and forming, together with the at least one wall of the chamber, a fluid-tight seal to establish the remainder of the chamber volume, to exclude the liquid environment from the chamber volume and configured to adjust the chamber volume to at least a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume. The chamber volume is configured to establish at least a first buoyancy and second buoyancy, the compensator is configured to respond to a change in environmental pressure within the liquid environment, and the compensator is passively moved by the change in environmental pressure to change the first chamber volume to the second chamber volume, thereby changing from the first buoyancy to the second buoyancy.

Various embodiments are directed to interconnectable tiles configured for operation in an aquatic environment or a near-zero/zero gravity environment. The interconnectable tiles are configured to interconnect relative to one another to form interconnected surfaces, and individual interconnectable tiles provide thrust, ballast, and/or buoyancy to the overall interconnected surface so as to move the interconnected surface in a desired configuration.

Various embodiments are directed to interconnectable tiles configured for operation in an aquatic environment or a near-zero/zero gravity environment. The interconnectable tiles are configured to interconnect relative to one another to form interconnected surfaces, and individual interconnectable tiles provide thrust, ballast, and/or buoyancy to the overall interconnected surface so as to move the interconnected surface in a desired configuration.

A buoyancy-enhanced loop drive system includes upper and lower gears, a helical drive loop extending around and rotatably engaging the upper and lower gears, and a tank configured to retain a liquid medium. An ascending side of the drive loop extends through the tank. In some embodiments, the drive loop includes a plurality of sections, and adjacent sections are rotatable with respect to each other about an axis normal to an end face of the sections. Additionally or alternatively, the ascending side of the drive loop advances through an inlet seal via an exit port defined in an exit wall oriented perpendicular to the exit direction. Additionally or alternatively, an intermediate plate is coupled to an inlet housing for rotation about a vertical axis, and to a stationary support structure for bi-directional translation.

A buoyancy-enhanced loop drive system includes upper and lower gears, a helical drive loop extending around and rotatably engaging the upper and lower gears, and a tank configured to retain a liquid medium. An ascending side of the drive loop extends through the tank. In some embodiments, the drive loop includes a plurality of sections, and adjacent sections are rotatable with respect to each other about an axis normal to an end face of the sections. Additionally or alternatively, the ascending side of the drive loop advances through an inlet seal via an exit port defined in an exit wall oriented perpendicular to the exit direction. Additionally or alternatively, an intermediate plate is coupled to an inlet housing for rotation about a vertical axis, and to a stationary support structure for bi-directional translation.

Techniques and architectures are disclosed for a system capable of creating large changes in buoyancy that can be incorporated into underwater vehicles, embodiments of the system utilizing edge-welded, metal bellows disposed within a pressure vessel to balance a pressure differential across the bellows while using the bellows to displace fluid and thereby alter the buoyancy of a vehicle on which the system is disposed.

Techniques and architectures are disclosed for a system capable of creating large changes in buoyancy that can be incorporated into underwater vehicles, embodiments of the system utilizing edge-welded, metal bellows disposed within a pressure vessel to balance a pressure differential across the bellows while using the bellows to displace fluid and thereby alter the buoyancy of a vehicle on which the system is disposed.

A submersible inspection drone used for inspection can include a ballast system used to control depth of the submersible inspection drone. The submersible can be configured to communicate to a base station using a wireless transmitter and receiver. The ballast system can include a pressure vessel for storing fluid and a bag for inflating and deflating as it receives a fluid. Buoyancy of the submersible inspection drone can be provided by change in density of the pressure vessel as a compressible gas is expanded when the ballast bag is caused to inflate or deflate. A pump can be used to draw fluid from the ballast bag and store the fluid in the pressure vessel. In one form the pressure vessel can include a compressible fluid and an incompressible fluid, where the incompressible fluid is used to inflate and deflate the bag.

A submersible inspection drone used for inspection can include a ballast system used to control depth of the submersible inspection drone. The submersible can be configured to communicate to a base station using a wireless transmitter and receiver. The ballast system can include a pressure vessel for storing fluid and a bag for inflating and deflating as it receives a fluid. Buoyancy of the submersible inspection drone can be provided by change in density of the pressure vessel as a compressible gas is expanded when the ballast bag is caused to inflate or deflate. A pump can be used to draw fluid from the ballast bag and store the fluid in the pressure vessel. In one form the pressure vessel can include a compressible fluid and an incompressible fluid, where the incompressible fluid is used to inflate and deflate the bag.

A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.