System and Method for Automated Rendezvous, Docking and Capture of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

摘要

A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.

主权项

1. An automated rendezvous and docking system for autonomous underwater vehicles comprising:
an autonomous underwater vehicle; a docking rod releasably connected to said autonomous underwater vehicle, said docking rod having a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end configured to a sphere having a diameter larger than said docking rod; a structural support member within said docking rod, said structural support member traversing the length of said docking rod; an annulus surrounding said structural support member and having a plurality of channels radially about the surface of said annulus; a plurality of LED light strips within said plurality of channels of said annulus; and a hollow external tube surrounding said annulus and said plurality of LED light strips therein.