Water vehicles

• US 10,640,180 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liquid Robotics, Inc. (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Liquid Robotics, Inc. (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Hine, Roger G., Hine, Derek L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchens, Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US14/775,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,253 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/00 Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/50 Vessels or floating structures for aircraft aircraft carriers B63G11/00; flying-boat hulls, other flotation means for aircraft B64
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 19/02 by using energy derived from movement of ambient water, e.g. from rolling or pitching of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/221 for handling seaplanes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/10 specially adapted for use on water
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/5236 Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions

Abstract

Equipment and methods that combine the use of wave powered vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). A UAV can be launched from a wave-powered vehicle, observe another vessel, and report the results of its observation to the wave-powered vehicle, and the wave-powered vehicle can report the results of the observation to a remote location. The UAV can land on water and can then be recovered by the wave-powered vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

an autonomous water vehicle (AWV);

a hull that is part of the AWV, or is towed behind the AWV; and

a tube, mounted to the hull, for launching an UAV, wherein;

the UAV, prior to being launched, is in a folded form, and when launched, adopts an unfolded form in which the UAV functions as the UAV,

the UAV comprises a recovery hook which remains above a surface of the water after the UAV lands on water,

means, associated with the AWV, for navigating the AWV to a location where the UAV is in the water; and

a recovery cable, coupled with the AWV, for engaging the recovery hook of the UAV when the UAV is in the water;

wherein the recovery cable is ejected from the tube from which the UAV is launched.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising means for providing wave-powered propulsion to the AWV so that the AWV is a wave-powered vehicle (WPV).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

communications equipment on the AWV for receiving communications from a UAV; and

means, associated with the AWV, for transmitting corresponding communications to a receiving station at a remote location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the recovery cable comprises a terminal portion that floats on the surface of the water, and

the UAV comprises closing the recovery hook when contact with the recovery cable is detected.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the AWV further comprises a force sensing switch connected to the recovery cable for detecting a successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the AWV comprises a winch for pulling the cable after the force sensing switch detects the successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for navigating the AWV to the location where the UAV is in the water comprises means for directing the AWV to move in a closed figure around the location of the UAV in the water.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the UAV closes the recovery hook when contact with the recovery cable is detected.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the AWV further comprises a force sensing switch connected to the recovery cable for detecting a successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the AWV comprises a winch for pulling the cable after the force sensing switch detects the successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

an autonomous water vehicle (AWV);

a hull that is part of the AWV, or is towed behind the AWV;

a launch tube mounted to the hull for storing the UAV in a collapsed form; and

means for ejecting the collapsed UAV from the launch tube whereupon the UAV, when ejected, adopts an unfolded form in which the UAV functions as the UAV;

means for navigating to a location where the UAV is in the water; and

wherein the launch tube comprises means for launching a recovery cable from the AWV, the recovery cable having recovery cable engagement elements and the UAV in the water having cooperating UAV engagement elements allowing at least one of the UAV engagement elements to engage with at least one of the recovery cable engagement elements, thereby rendering the UAV engaged with the recovery cable; and

means for retracting the cable and the engaged UAV to recover the UAV.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, and further comprising elements for providing wave-powered propulsion to the hull.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the recovery cable comprises a terminal portion that floats on a surface of the water, and

the UAV engagement elements comprises a recovery hook.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for navigating to a location where the UAV is in the water comprises means for directing the AWV to move in a closed figure around the location of the UAV in the water.

15. A method performed by an autonomous water vehicle (AWV) and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) the method comprising:

the AWV launching the UAV into flight from a launch tube;

the UAV gathering information while flying;

the UAV landing in the water;

the UAV and the AWV communicating so that the AWV can determine a location where the UAV landed in the water;

the AWV navigating to the location;

the AWV moving in a closed figure around the location of the UAV in the water until a force sensing switch connected to a recovery cable ejected from the launch tube detects a successful engagement of a UAV recovery means with the recovery cable; and

the AWV recovering the UAV.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the AWV is a wave-powered vehicle (WVP).

17. An apparatus comprising an autonomous water vehicle (AWV) and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wherein:

the AWV comprises,

a hull that is part of the AWV or towed behind the AWV,

means for navigating to a desired location,

a launch tube mounted to the hull for storing the UAV in a collapsed form,

means for ejecting the collapsed UAV from the launch tube whereupon the UAV, when ejected, adopts an unfolded form in which the UAV functions as the UAV, and

a recovery cable for recovering the UAV after the UAV lands in the water, the recovery cable ejected from the launch tube and having a floating terminal portion; and

the UAV comprises,

means for gathering information during the UAV'"'"'s flight,

means for communicating information to the AWV regarding the UAV'"'"'s location when the UAV has landed in the water, thereby allowing the AWV to approach the UAV; and

means for engaging the recovery cable when the AWV approaches the UAV.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the AWV includes a swimmer and a tether, such that when the AWV is in wave-bearing water, the swimmer is submerged at an end of the tether and interacts with the water to generate forces which move the AWV in a direction having a horizontal component.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for engaging the recovery cable comprises a recovery hook.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the UAV closes the recovery hook when contact when the recovery cable is detected.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the AWV further comprises a force sensing switch connected to the recovery cable for detecting a successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the AWV comprises a winch for pulling the cable after the force sensing switch detects the successful engagement of the recovery hook with the recovery cable.