Autonomous unmanned sailing vessel

• US 9,834,290 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
• Inventors: Jenkins, Richard Elliot, Owens, Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US15/176,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20160280348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 114 3923, 114 3926, 114 393, 114121
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/10 with multiple hulls
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/12 the hulls being interconnected rigidly B63B1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/125 comprising more than two hulls B63B1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/007 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/00 Improving safety of vessels, e.g. damage control, not otherwise provided for fire-fighting in ships A62C3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/02 reducing risk of capsizing or sinking by means of watertight doors in bulkheads B63B43/24
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/20 using towing tanks or model basins for designing
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/22 Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00; stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/28 Arrangement of offensive or defensive equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/38 Arrangement of visual or electronic watch equipment, e.g. of periscopes, of radar periscopes, optical aiming or sighting devices per se G02B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2009/082 Booms, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/045 making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/38 Rudders
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/061 Rigid sails; Aerofoil sails
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/0635 the panels being pivotable about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/08 Connections of sails to masts, spars, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0875 : specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 : Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

An unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel including a primary hull and a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull that freely rotates about a rotational axis. At least one of the primary hull and the rigid wing includes at least one selectively floodable compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge the primary hull and at least a portion of the rigid wing. The vessel further includes at least one controller configured to maintain a desired heading. The vessel further includes a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on the control surface element. The vessel further includes a rudder. The at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder. The vessel further includes a keel coupled with the primary hull.

Claims

1. An unmanned, autonomous vessel comprising;

a primary hull;

a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein the rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of the rigid wing;

at least one controller configured to maintain a desired heading;

at least one sensor;

a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on the control surface element;

a rudder, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position; and

a keel coupled with the primary hull at a first end of the keel, wherein the keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause the primary hull to passively right from any position outside of a normal operating range to a position within the normal operating range, wherein the normal operating range includes orientations of the primary hull where the rigid wing is capable of generating lift.

2. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller maintains the desired heading during navigation by:

receiving data from the at least one sensor;

based on the data received from the at least one sensor, calculating a desired control surface angle based on data from the at least one sensor; and

generate a signal to position the control surface element based on the desired control surface angle.

3. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 2,

wherein the data comprises a compass reading and a wing angle;

wherein calculating the desired control surface angle comprises estimating a wind direction using a sailing model, the compass reading, the wing angle, and a current control surface angle.

4. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, further comprising:

a first outrigger hull configured to provide a first additional righting moment when the primary hull is rotated in a first direction about its primary axis; and

a second outrigger hull configured to provide a second additional righting moment when the primary hull is rotated in a second direction about its primary axis,

wherein the ballast is sufficient to passively right the primary hull from any position given the first additional righting moment and the second additional righting moment.

5. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more environmental sensors.

6. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of a compass and a GPS receiver, a wing angle sensor and an accelerometer.

7. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of a temperature sensor and a moisture sensor.

8. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more chemical sensors.

9. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more sensors that are communicatively coupled with a logging device configured to store data collected by the one or more sensors.

10. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one communication device communicatively coupled with one or more sensors of the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one communication device is configured to transmit data collected by the one or more sensors.

11. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, further comprising one or more communication devices capable of two-way communication including at least one of:

a satellite device, a radio device, and a wireless device.

12. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to respond to one or more obstacles comprising at least one of weather, unauthorized areas, and other vessels.

13. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the one or more obstacles based on data from one or more sensors of the at least one sensor.

14. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, further comprising:

a payload bay configured to receive a payload device; and

a payload unit positioned at least partially in the payload bay.

15. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 14, wherein the payload device comprises at least one of equipment, sensors, monitoring devices, communication devices and weapons.

16. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 14,

wherein the payload bay includes at least one outlet that allows at least a portion of the payload device to access at least one of air or water,

wherein the portion of the payload device comprises a sensor.

17. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 14, further comprising a lower bulb coupled with a second end of the keel and a second end of the rudder,

wherein the first end of the rudder is coupled with the primary hull,

wherein the lower bulb comprises the payload bay.

18. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1,

wherein the control surface element is disposed on a tail,

wherein the rigid wing is coupled with a boom comprising a first end and a second end,

wherein the second end of the boom extends from a trailing edge of the rigid wing, and

wherein the second end of the boom is coupled with the tail.

19. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 18,

wherein the first end of the boom extends from a leading edge of the rigid wing, and

wherein the first end of the boom is coupled with a counterweight configured to dynamically balance the rigid wing, the boom and the tail with respect to the rotational axis of the rigid wing.

20. The unmanned, autonomous vessel of claim 1, wherein the rotational axis is selected to statically balance the rigid wing with respect to the rotational axis of the rigid wing.