An underwater propulsion apparatus 1 according to an embodiment includes a main body 2 having a conical tail portion, a channel 4 having an inlet 6 in the outer circumferential surface of the main body 2 and a nozzle 7 on the side downstream of the inlet 6 and in the tail portion, at least one pump 3 having an impeller 5 provided in the channel 4, a diffuser 8 attached to the main body 2 so as to surround the outer circumference of the nozzle 7, and a plurality of direction control wings 9 attached to the outer surface of the main body 2 and located in positions downstream of the nozzle 7 and close thereto, each of the plurality of direction control wings 9 having an upstream end pivotally supported by the main body 2.

A vehicle includes a propulsion system using one or more impellers as opposed to propellers. The impellers impart circumferential and radial velocity components to the working fluid, which may be air or water. The air is deflected by counter-vortex chambers in a shroud to convert the circumferential and radial velocity to an axial velocity aligned with the axis of rotation of the impeller.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

An electrically motorized watercraft may include a hull module and a driveline system. The driveline system may include an electric power module and a driveline module. The driveline module may be arranged at an underside of the hull module.

An electrically motorized watercraft may include a hull module and a driveline system. The driveline system may include an electric power module and a driveline module. The driveline module may be arranged at an underside of the hull module.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a method for controlling a marine vessel having a first steerable propulsor, a corresponding first reversing device, a second steerable propulsor and a corresponding second reversing device. The method comprises receiving a first vessel control signal corresponding to a rotational movement and no translational movement command, generating at least a first actuator control signal and a second actuator control signal in response to the first vessel control signal, coupling the first actuator control signal to and controlling the first steerable propulsor and the second steerable propulsor, and coupling the second actuator control signal to and controlling the first reversing device and to the second reversing device. The method creates rotational forces on the marine vessel with substantially no translational forces on the marine vessel.

The present invention comprises a self-propelled craft with a U-shaped main body provided with two turbines, one on each flap of the U-shaped main body, which propel the self-propelled craft through turbine operation in a chamber fed by water received by water intakes which is ejected by the ejection openings, and which turbines move inside the turbine operation chamber adopting automatically one of two possible positions due to the casing which is placed in two different positions within the turbine operation chamber, which positioning results from the placement of the device on the water being done by side A or B, the water intake being done through existing water entrances on side A or B of the device.

The present invention comprises a self-propelled craft with a U-shaped main body provided with two turbines, one on each flap of the U-shaped main body, which propel the self-propelled craft through turbine operation in a chamber fed by water received by water intakes which is ejected by the ejection openings, and which turbines move inside the turbine operation chamber adopting automatically one of two possible positions due to the casing which is placed in two different positions within the turbine operation chamber, which positioning results from the placement of the device on the water being done by side A or B, the water intake being done through existing water entrances on side A or B of the device.

A jet propelled watercraft includes a vessel body, a jet propulsion mechanism, a bucket, and a controller. The jet propulsion mechanism is configured to propel the vessel body. The controller is configured and programmed to control a thrust of the jet propulsion mechanism to propel the vessel body. The bucket is configured to move to a retracted position spaced away from the jet of water ejected from the jet propulsion mechanism and a jet receiving position to receive the jet of water ejected from the jet propulsion mechanism. The controller is configured and programmed to change an increase rate of the thrust in accordance with a forward speed of the vessel body until the thrust is increased to a predetermined value after the bucket has been moved from the retracted position to the jet receiving position.

A jet propelled watercraft includes a vessel body, a jet propulsion mechanism, a bucket, and a controller. The jet propulsion mechanism is configured to propel the vessel body. The controller is configured and programmed to control a thrust of the jet propulsion mechanism to propel the vessel body. The bucket is configured to move to a retracted position spaced away from the jet of water ejected from the jet propulsion mechanism and a jet receiving position to receive the jet of water ejected from the jet propulsion mechanism. The controller is configured and programmed to change an increase rate of the thrust in accordance with a forward speed of the vessel body until the thrust is increased to a predetermined value after the bucket has been moved from the retracted position to the jet receiving position.