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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
First Claim
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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.

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