A submersible system is provided having a submersible launch vessel that sends instructions from a mission controller to deploy one or more deployable systems for one or more underwater operations. The submersible launch vessel is submerged within a waterbody. A submersible power supply powers the submersible launch vessel and the one or more deployable systems. One or more communication devices is in communication with the mission controller, and the mission controller is located in one of a remote or a local location relative to the submersible launch vessel. The one or more deployable systems, via the one or more communication devices coupled to the submersible launch vessel, are remote controlled by the mission controller to execute the one or more underwater operations. Also, information associated with the one or more underwater operations including telemetry data is transmitted to the mission controller from the submersible launch vessel.

A docking system has flat funnel and a slotted ramp at the end of the flat funnel. The slotted ramp has a plurality of inclined planes, each on a respective side of the slot. A docking adapter, fitted over an underwater vehicle, includes a guide plane and a mask. The flat funnel guides the guide plane to the top of the ramp during docking, so that the underwater vehicle may be charged. Another aspect of the invention is a highly maneuverable glider including a forwardly mounted buoyancy module followed a pitch module, followed by a processing module, followed by a roll module, mounted concentrically with respect to each other. The glider may be attached to any docking system, not just that of the present invention. When used in conjunction with the docking system of the present invention, the glider may be attached to either the flat funnel or the docking adapter of the docking system of the present invention.

A submersion system for a rotorcraft is described and includes a control module for controlling a depth to which the rotorcraft is submerged in a body of water; a compressed air chamber associated with the control module; and at least one flotation pod including a sealable opening on a top surface thereof and an opening on a bottom surface thereof. The control module selectively causes water to be taken into the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to submerge in the body of water and selectively causes water to be evacuated from the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to float in the body of water.

One example includes an underwater docking system. The system includes an underwater dock that includes a docking rod. The docking rod includes electrical contacts around a periphery of the docking rod. The system also includes a docking assembly mounted on an underwater vehicle. The docking assembly includes an actuator and a hook assembly that includes a docking arm and a jaw assembly. The docking arm physically guides the docking rod into the jaw assembly and the actuator closes the jaw assembly around the docking rod to provide electrical connection of brush contacts of the jaw assembly with the electrical contacts of the docking rod to provide electrical power from a power source via the electrical contacts to the underwater vehicle. Each of the electrical contacts and the brush contacts can be formed from a self-passivating material.

The present invention is broadly directed to a waterborne docking assembly 10 comprising: a docking body 12 adapted to be deployed from a recovery vessel 13; docking means 14 associated with the docking body 12 and adapted for docking of an unmanned underwater vehicle 15; propulsion means 16 associated with the docking body 12, said propulsion means 16 configured to control positioning of the docking body 12 relative to the unmanned underwater vehicle 15 for guided docking of said vehicle 15 with the docking assembly 10.

A submersible node and a method and system for using the node to acquire data, including seismic data is disclosed. The node incorporates a buoyancy system to provide propulsion for the node between respective landed locations by varying the buoyancy between positive and negative. A first acoustic positioning system is used to facilitate positioning of a node when landing and a second acoustic positioning system is used to facilitate a node transiting between respective target landed locations.

A remote-controlled, semi-autonomous or autonomous recovery apparatus includes a drive as well as a unit for launch and recovery of an autonomous underwater vehicle. The drive is dimensioned such that a large range, such as more than 5 nautical miles, is obtained.

A submergible wave energy converter and method for using the same are described. In one embodiment, the wave energy converter may be used for deep water operations. In one embodiment, the submergible wave energy converter is an autonomous unmanned vehicle that enables remote ocean power generation. In one embodiment, the wave energy converter apparatus comprises an absorber having a body with an upper surface and a bottom surface and at least one power take-off (PTO) unit coupled to the absorber and configured to displace movement of the absorber body relative to a reference, where the power take-off unit is operable to perform motion energy conversion based on displacement of the absorber body relative to the reference in response to wave excitation, and where the power take-off unit is operable to return the absorber body from a displaced position to a predefined equilibrium position and to provide a force acting on the absorber body for energy extraction.

An underwater docking system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an underwater vehicle that sails in water; and an underwater station with which the underwater vehicle docks. One of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a reference point; and a first fitting located around the reference point as a center. The other of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a detector that detects the reference point; and a second fitting located around the detector as a center and fitted to the first fitting. One of the first fitting and the second fitting is an annular groove. The other of the first fitting and the second fitting includes at least two protrusions that are inserted into the annular groove.

The present disclosure relates to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) launch and recovery device driven by an elastic linkage mechanism for an extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV). The AUV launch and recovery device includes a hydraulic device, a push plate and a tubular device box, where the tubular device box adopts a frame-type tubular structure with a closed end; the push plate is fixed to a hydraulic rod, the hydraulic rod is controlled to stretch, and furthermore, the push plate is controlled to radially slide in a groove; and as the push plate is controlled to move radially, an inner diameter of a ring part of the inelastic linkage rope is narrowed or enlarged, so that inelastic hauling ropes are pulled to move axially, and the front end of the elastic rubber plates is further pulled to achieve an expanding or contracting state of an recovery/launch opening.